Information processing system, and information processing apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an information processing system, and an information processing apparatus and method in which authentication processing on a network can be easily performed. A setting terminal device sends registration information input by a user to a CE-device registration setting server. The CE-device registration setting server generates connection information for connecting CE devices to the Internet based on the registration information. The setting terminal device receives the connection information from the CE-device registration setting server and stores it in a memory card. When the memory card is attached, the CE device reads the connection information so as to connect to a network. The present invention can be applied to electronic devices connected to a network.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to information processing systems andinformation processing apparatuses and methods. More particularly, theinvention relates to an information processing system and an informationprocessing apparatus and method in which it is possible to connect to anetwork by a simple operation.

BACKGROUND ART

As a method for specifying a user for receiving services provided on anetwork, personal identification using an ID and a password is oftenemployed. Normally, the authentication mode is independent for eachservice. If five different services are received, five IDs and fivepasswords are required, and the user has to select the ID and passwordaccording to the service.

Since the user has to employ the different IDs and passwords for theindividual services, as described above, it is usually necessary for theuser to write down the IDs and the passwords for the individualservices, which is inconvenient. The user is able to memorize the IDsand passwords for services that he/she frequently accesses. However, theuser tends to forget the IDs and passwords for services that he/sherarely accesses, and in order to access such services, the user isrequired to check the IDs and passwords, thereby making it difficult tospeedily access the services.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a method for disposing anauthentication proxy server between service providing servers and clientcomputers so as to allow the authentication proxy server to performsimultaneous authentication for a plurality of service providingservers, and a method for installing an authentication proxy module in aservice providing server are known. The first method is referred to asthe “reverse proxy type”, and the second method is referred to as the“agent type”. Integrating a plurality of IDs and passwords into one IDand one password as stated above is referred to as “SSO (Single SignOn)”. FIG. 1 illustrates the concept of SSO of the reverse proxy type.

In FIG. 1, a client 2 is a personal computer, a personal digitalassistant (PDA) employed by a user, or a household electrical appliance,such as a television receiver, an audio player, a video cassetterecorder, a car navigation system, a microwave oven, a refrigerator, ora washing machine, which is provided with a function for connecting to anetwork. In the following description, television receivers, audioplayers, video cassette recorders, car navigation systems, microwaveovens, refrigerators, washing machines, and other household electricalappliances provided with functions for connecting to networks arereferred to as CE (Consumer Electronics) devices.

When receiving a request to connect to the Internet 1 from the client 2with a predetermined network-connecting ID and password 6, an accessserver 3 conducts authentication for connecting the client 2 to theInternet 1. A web authentication proxy server 4 manages IDs andpasswords required for receiving services from web servers 5-1 and 5-2(hereinafter simply referred to as a “web server 5” when it is notnecessary to individually distinguish between the web servers 5-1 and5-2—the same applies to other devices). When receiving a request toreceive a service possessed by the web server 5 from the client 2 with apredetermined representative ID and password 7, the web authenticationproxy server 4 accesses the web server 5 designated by the client 2 byusing the predetermined ID and password, and performs authentication forthe client 2.

The web servers 5-1 and 5-2 individually possess unique services, andprovide the services to the client 2 which has accessed the web servers5-1 and 5-2 by using the predetermined ID and password.

The operation is as follows. When accessing the web server 5-1 toreceive a service, the client 2 first accesses the access server 3 byusing the network-connecting ID and password 6, and obtainsauthentication for connecting to the Internet 1. After obtainingauthentication for connecting to the Internet 1 from the access server3, the client 2 accesses the web authentication proxy server 4 via theInternet 1 by using the representative ID and password 7 so as toreceive authentication from the web authentication proxy server 4.

Upon completing the authentication processing, the web authenticationproxy server 4 sends an ID and a password for web server A to the webserver 5-1 via the Internet 1, and requests the web server 5-1 toconduct authentication for the client 2. After authenticating the client2 in response to this request, the web server 5-1 provides the serviceto the client 2.

When subsequently receiving a service by accessing the web server 5-2,the client 2 first accesses the web authentication proxy server 4 byusing the representative ID and password 7 to receive authentication.When authentication is successfully conducted, the web authenticationproxy server 4 sends an ID and a password for the web server 5-2 to theweb server 5-2, and requests the web server 5-2 to conductauthentication for the client 2. After authenticating the client 2 inresponse to this request, the web server 5-2 provides the service forthe client 2.

As described above, the client 2 is able to receive the services fromboth web servers, i.e., the web server 5-1 and the web server 5-2, byusing the single representative ID and password 7.

As stated above with reference to FIG. 1, in known SSO, thenetwork-connecting ID and password 6 for connecting to the Internet 1,and the representative ID and password 7 for connecting to the webserver 5 are different, and the user has to change between the two IDsand two passwords, which is inconvenient.

Particularly when the device (client 2) employed by the user to connectto the Internet 1 is a CE device provided with an insufficient inputinterface for receiving input operations from the user, which isdifferent from personal computers, inputting the network-connecting IDand password 6 or the representative ID and password 7 into the CEdevice every time the user connects to the access server 3 or the webauthentication proxy server 4 imposes a heavy burden on the user.

In order to receive services from the web server 5, the user issometimes required to perform user registration in the web server 5 inadvance. More specifically, when receiving services from the web server5-1, the user has to send via the client 2 his/her name, address, emailaddress, and other information required for receiving the services fromthe web server 5-1 so as to receive an ID and a password. Similarly,when receiving services from the web server 5-2, the user has to sendvia the client 2 his/her name, address, email address, and otherinformation required for receiving the services from the web server 5-2so as to receive an ID and a password.

Accordingly, when performing user registration in the web server 5, theuser is required to register user information in the web server 5. Inthis case, basic information, such as his/her name, address, and emailaddress, is common information for registering in many web servers 5.Accordingly, if the user does not have to input the same information forperforming user registration in the web server 5-2 as the informationinput for performing user registration in the web server 5-1, the easeof operation for the user is enhanced. Particularly when performing userregistration by using a CE device provided with an insufficient inputinterface, it is very convenient for the user if the amount ofinformation to be input is reduced.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of this background.Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to implement easyconnection to various services on a network.

According to an information processing system of the present invention,a first information processing apparatus includes: first receiving meansfor receiving registration information from a second informationprocessing apparatus; generating means for generating connectioninformation used for allowing a third information processing apparatusto connect to a network based on the registration information receivedby the first receiving means; and first transmitting means fortransmitting the connection information generated by the generatingmeans to the second information processing apparatus, the secondinformation processing apparatus includes: reception means for receivinginput of the registration information; second transmitting means fortransmitting the registration information received by the receptionmeans to the first information processing apparatus; second receivingmeans for receiving the connection information from the firstinformation processing apparatus; and recording means for recording theconnection information received by the second receiving means in arecording medium, and the third information processing apparatusincludes: reading means for reading the connection information recordedby the second information processing apparatus from the recordingmedium; and connection means for connecting to the network based on theconnection information read by the reading means.

An information processing apparatus of the present invention includes:receiving means for receiving registration information from a firstinformation processing apparatus; generating means for generatingconnection information used for allowing a second information processingapparatus, which is different from the first information processingapparatus, to connect to a network based on the registration informationreceived by the receiving means; and transmitting means for transmittingthe connection information generated by the generating means to thefirst information processing apparatus.

The above-described network may be the Internet.

The above-described registration information may include a postal codeor an address at which the second information processing apparatus isconnected to the network.

The generating means may select an access point for allowing the secondinformation processing apparatus to connect to the network based on thepostal code or the address so as to generate the connection informationincluding information concerning the access point.

The information concerning the access point may include a telephonenumber of the access point.

The generating means may select the access point based on at least oneof the conditions consisting of a communication cost, a communicationspeed, and a load of the access point when the second informationprocessing apparatus is connected to the network.

The connection information may include an identifier required for thesecond information processing apparatus to receive authentication.

The identifier may include at least one of an identifier for logging into an Internet service provider, an identifier for specifying a user, anidentifier for specifying the second information processing apparatus,and an identifier for specifying a service on the network.

The connection information may further include a password required forthe second information processing apparatus to receive theauthentication.

The transmitting means may transmit, together with the connectioninformation, a program for executing processing for allowing the secondinformation processing apparatus to connect to the network to the firstinformation processing apparatus.

A first information processing method of the present invention includes:a receiving step of receiving registration information from a firstinformation processing apparatus; a generating step of generatingconnection information used for allowing a second information processingapparatus, which is different from the first information processingapparatus, to connect to a network based on the registration informationreceived by processing of the receiving step; and a transmitting step oftransmitting the connection information generated by processing of thegenerating step to the first information processing apparatus.

A program of a first recording medium of the present invention includes:a reception control step of controlling the reception of registrationinformation from a first information processing apparatus; a generatingstep of generating connection information used for allowing a secondinformation processing apparatus, which is different from the firstinformation processing apparatus, to connect to a network based on theregistration information controlled to be received by processing of thereception control step; and a transmission control step of controllingthe transmission of the connection information generated by processingof the generating step to the first information processing apparatus.

A first program of the present invention allows a computer that controlsan information processing apparatus to execute: a reception control stepof controlling the reception of registration information from a firstinformation processing apparatus; a generating step of generatingconnection information used for allowing a second information processingapparatus, which is different from the first information processingapparatus, to connect to a network based on the registration informationcontrolled to be received by processing of the reception control step;and a transmission control step of controlling the transmission of theconnection information generated by processing of the generating step tothe first information processing apparatus.

Another information processing apparatus of the present inventionincludes: reception means for receiving the input of registrationinformation from a user; transmitting means for transmitting theregistration information received by the reception means to a firstinformation processing apparatus; receiving means for receivingconnection information for connecting to a network from the firstinformation processing apparatus, the connection information beinggenerated based on the registration information transmitted by thetransmitting means; and recording means for recording the connectioninformation received by the receiving means in a recording medium.

The above-described network may be the Internet.

The recording medium may be a memory card which is attached to theinformation processing apparatus and is also removed from theinformation processing apparatus and is attached to a second informationprocessing apparatus, which is different from the first informationprocessing apparatus.

The connection information may be information that allows a plurality ofsecond information processing apparatuses, which are different from thefirst information processing apparatus, to connect to the Internet byutilizing the connection information.

The registration information may include at least a postal code or anaddress at which a second information processing apparatus, which isdifferent from the first information processing apparatus, is connectedto the network.

The connection information may include information concerning an accesspoint for allowing a second information processing apparatus, which isdifferent from the first information processing apparatus, to connect tothe network.

The information concerning the access point may include a telephonenumber of the access point.

The connection information may include an identifier required for asecond information processing apparatus, which is different from thefirst information processing apparatus, to receive authentication.

The identifier may include at least one of an identifier for logging into an Internet service provider, an identifier for specifying a user, anidentifier for specifying the second information processing apparatus,and an identifier for specifying a service on the network.

The connection information may further include a password required forthe second information processing apparatus to receive theauthentication.

The receiving means may receive, together with the connectioninformation, a program for executing processing for allowing a secondinformation processing apparatus, which is different from the firstinformation processing apparatus, to connect to the network, and therecording means may record the connection information and the programreceived by the receiving means in the recording medium.

A second information processing method of the present inventionincludes: a reception step of receiving the input of registrationinformation from a user; a transmitting step of transmitting theregistration information received by processing of the reception step toa first information processing apparatus; a receiving step of receivingconnection information for connecting to a network from the firstinformation processing apparatus, the connection information beinggenerated based on the registration information transmitted byprocessing of the transmitting step; and a recording step of recordingthe connection information received by processing of the receiving stepin a recording medium.

A program of a second recording medium of the present inventionincludes: a reception control step of controlling the reception of theinput of registration information from a user; a transmission controlstep of controlling the transmission of the registration informationcontrolled to be received by processing of the reception control step toa first information processing apparatus; a receiving control step ofcontrolling the reception of connection information for connecting to anetwork from the first information processing apparatus, the connectioninformation being generated based on the registration informationcontrolled to be transmitted by processing of the transmission controlstep; and a recording step of recording the connection informationcontrolled to be received by processing of the receiving control step ina recording medium.

A second program of the present invention allows a computer thatcontrols an information processing apparatus to execute: a receptioncontrol step of controlling the reception of the input of registrationinformation from a user; a transmission control step of controlling thetransmission of the registration information controlled to be receivedby processing of the reception control step to a first informationprocessing apparatus; a receiving control step of controlling thereception of connection information for connecting to a network from thefirst information processing apparatus, the connection information beinggenerated based on the registration information controlled to betransmitted by processing of the transmission control step; and arecording step of recording the connection information controlled to bereceived by processing of the receiving control step in a recordingmedium.

A further information processing apparatus of the present inventionincludes: holding means for detachably holding a recording medium;reading means for reading connection information for connecting to anetwork from the recording medium when the recording medium is held inthe holding means from a first information processing apparatus whilethe recording medium is attached to the first information processingapparatus; and connection means for connecting to the network based onthe connection information read by the reading means.

The above-described network may be the Internet.

The recording medium may be a memory card.

The connection information may be information that allows a plurality ofthe above-described information processing apparatuses to connect to theInternet by using the connection information.

The connection information may include information concerning an accesspoint for allowing the information processing apparatus to connect tothe network.

The information concerning the access point may include a telephonenumber of the access point.

The connection information may include an identifier required for theinformation processing apparatus to receive authentication.

The identifier may include at least one of an identifier for logging into an Internet service provider, an identifier for specifying a user, anidentifier for specifying the second information processing apparatus,and an identifier for specifying a service on the network.

The connection information may further include a password required forthe information processing apparatus to receive the authentication.

The reading means may read a program for executing processing forallowing the information processing apparatus to connect to the network,the program being stored in the recording medium together with theconnection information, and the connection means may connect to thenetwork by using the connection information by executing the programread by the reading means.

The information processing apparatus may further include recording meansfor recording the connection information read by the reading means, andthe connection means may connect to the network based on the connectioninformation recorded by the recording means.

A third information processing method of the present invention includes:a reading step of reading connection information for connecting to anetwork from the recording medium when the recording medium is held inthe information processing apparatus from a first information processingapparatus while the recording medium is attached to the firstinformation processing apparatus; and a connection step of connecting tothe network based on the connection information read by processing ofthe reading step.

A program of a third recording medium of the present invention controlsan information processing apparatus to and from which a recording mediumis attachable and detachable. The program includes: a reading step ofreading connection information for connecting to a network from therecording medium when the recording medium is held in the informationprocessing apparatus from a first information processing apparatus whilethe recording medium is attached to the first information processingapparatus; and a connection step of connecting to the network based onthe connection information read by processing of the reading step.

A third program of the present invention allows a computer that controlsan information processing apparatus to execute: a reading step ofreading connection information for connecting to a network from arecording medium when the recording medium is held in the informationprocessing apparatus from a first information processing apparatus whilethe recording medium is attached to the first information processingapparatus; and a connection step of connecting to the network based onthe connection information read by processing of the reading step.

A fourth recording medium of the present invention records thereinconnection information for connecting an information processingapparatus to a network and a program for connecting the informationprocessing apparatus to the network based on the connection information.

In the information processing system of the present invention, the firstinformation processing apparatus receives registration information fromthe second information processing apparatus, generates connectioninformation for connecting the third information processing apparatus toa network based on the received registration information, and sends thegenerated connection information to the second information processingapparatus. The second information processing apparatus receives theinput of the registration information, sends the received registrationinformation to the first information processing apparatus, receives theconnection information from the first information processing apparatus,and records the received connection information in a recording medium.The third information processing apparatus reads the connectioninformation from the recording medium, and is connected to a networkbased on the read connection information.

According to an information processing apparatus, a first informationprocessing method, a first recording medium, and a first program of thepresent invention, registration information is received by a firstinformation processing apparatus, connection information for connectinga second information processing apparatus, which is different from thefirst information processing apparatus, to a network is generated basedon the received registration information, and the generated connectioninformation is sent to the first information processing apparatus.

According to another information processing apparatus, a secondinformation processing method, a second recording medium, and a secondprogram of the present invention, the input of registration informationis received from a user, the received registration information is sentto a first information processing apparatus, connection information forconnecting to a network, the connection information being generatedbased on the registration information, is received from the firstinformation processing apparatus, and the received connectioninformation is recorded in a recording medium.

According to a further information processing apparatus, a thirdinformation processing method, a third recording medium, and a thirdprogram of the present invention, a recording medium is detachably held,and when the recording medium recording connection information forconnecting to a network is held from a first information processingapparatus while the recording medium is attached to the firstinformation processing apparatus, the connection information is readfrom the recording medium, and the information processing apparatus isconnected to a network.

In a fourth recording medium of the present invention, connectioninformation for connecting an information processing apparatus to anetwork and a program for connecting the information processingapparatus to a network based on the connection information are stored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a connection to the Internet in a known system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configurationof an information-processing system to which the present invention isapplied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configurationof an access server.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a refrigerator.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configurationof a car navigation system.

FIG. 6 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling amanufacturer server.

FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling asetting terminal device.

FIG. 8 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling theaccess server.

FIG. 9 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling aregistration server.

FIG. 10 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling aconnection authentication server.

FIG. 11 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling adatabase server.

FIG. 12 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling aservice providing server.

FIG. 13 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling a webauthentication proxy server.

FIG. 14 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling aCE-device registration setting server.

FIG. 15 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling aconnection setting database server.

FIG. 16 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling acentralized service registration server.

FIG. 17 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling therefrigerator.

FIG. 18 illustrates the configuration of a program for controlling thecar navigation system.

FIG. 19 illustrates processing when a CE device is manufactured.

FIG. 20 illustrates product-client registration codes.

FIG. 21 illustrates processing for shipping and selling CE devices.

FIG. 22 illustrates processing for registering CE devices.

FIG. 23 illustrates processing for authenticating a CE device when beingconnected to the Internet and to a service providing server.

FIG. 24 illustrates a known authentication for connecting to an Internetservice provider and to service providing servers in comparison with anexample of FIG. 25.

FIG. 25 illustrates authentication for connecting to an Internet serviceprovider and service providing servers when the present invention isapplied.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by themanufacturer server when a CE device is manufactured.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator registration processingperformed by the setting terminal device.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator registration processingperformed by the registration server.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 28illustrating refrigerator registration processing performed by theregistration server.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator registration processingperformed by the database server.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator authenticationprocessing performed by the refrigerator.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator authenticationprocessing performed by the access server.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator authenticationprocessing performed by the web authentication proxy server.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator authenticationprocessing performed by the database server.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating refrigerator authenticationprocessing performed by the service providing server.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system registrationprocessing performed by the car navigation system.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 36illustrating car navigation system registration processing performed bythe car navigation system.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system registrationprocessing performed by the access server.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system registrationprocessing performed by the connection authentication server.

FIG. 40 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system registrationprocessing performed by the registration server.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 40illustrating car navigation system registration processing performed bythe registration server.

FIG. 42 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system registrationprocessing performed by the database server.

FIG. 43 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the car navigation system.

FIG. 44 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 43illustrating car navigation system authentication processing performedby the car navigation system.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the access server.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the web authentication proxy server.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the connection authentication server.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the registration server.

FIG. 49 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the database server.

FIG. 50 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 49illustrating car navigation system authentication processing performedby the database server.

FIG. 51 is a flowchart illustrating car navigation system authenticationprocessing performed by the service providing server.

FIG. 52 illustrates a connection to a network when the present inventionis applied in comparison with the example of FIG. 1.

FIG. 53 illustrates the configuration of a system different from thesystem shown in FIG. 23, to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 54 illustrates the configuration of a system different from thesystems shown in FIGS. 23 and 53, to which the present invention isapplied.

FIG. 55 illustrates an addition of a service to the present system.

FIG. 56 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of a CEdevice.

FIG. 57 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit of aCE device.

FIG. 58 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof a CE device.

FIG. 59 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of a CEdevice.

FIG. 60 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of a CEdevice.

FIG. 61 illustrates the provision of an added service to a CE device.

FIG. 62 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit of aCE device.

FIG. 63 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof a CE device.

FIG. 64 illustrates overall processing for recording connectioninformation in a memory card.

FIG. 65 illustrates detailed processing for recording connectioninformation in a memory card.

FIG. 66 illustrates another detailed processing for recording connectioninformation in a memory card.

FIG. 67 illustrates a process for using a memory card in whichconnection information is recorded.

FIG. 68 illustrates a process for reading connection information from amemory card.

FIG. 69 illustrates another process for reading connection informationfrom a memory card.

FIG. 70 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 71 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit ofthe setting terminal device.

FIG. 72 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof the setting terminal device.

FIG. 73 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 74 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit ofthe setting terminal device.

FIG. 75 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof the setting terminal device.

FIG. 76 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 77 is a flowchart illustrating memory card setting processingperformed by the setting terminal device.

FIG. 78 is a flowchart illustrating memory card setting processingperformed by the CE-device registration setting server.

FIG. 79 is a flowchart illustrating memory card setting processingperformed by the connection-setting database server.

FIG. 80 is a flowchart illustrating Internet connection processingperformed by the car navigation system.

FIG. 81 is a diagram illustrating a data flow into the centralizedservice registration server.

FIG. 82 is another diagram illustrating a data flow into the centralizedservice registration server.

FIG. 83 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 84 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 85 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit ofthe setting terminal device.

FIG. 86 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof the setting terminal device.

FIG. 87 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 88 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit ofthe setting terminal device.

FIG. 89 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof the setting terminal device.

FIG. 90 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 91 illustrates another example of screens of the display unit ofthe setting terminal device.

FIG. 92 illustrates still another example of screens of the display unitof the setting terminal device.

FIG. 93 illustrates an example of screens of the display unit of thesetting terminal device.

FIG. 94 is a flowchart illustrating pre-registration processing.

FIG. 95 is a flowchart illustrating device ID registration processing.

FIG. 96 is a flowchart illustrating service registration processingperformed by the car navigation system.

FIG. 97 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 96illustrating service registration processing performed by the carnavigation system.

FIG. 98 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 96illustrating service registration processing performed by the carnavigation system.

FIG. 99 is a flowchart illustrating service registration processingperformed by the centralized service registration server.

FIG. 100 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 99illustrating service registration processing performed by thecentralized service registration server.

FIG. 101 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 99illustrating service registration processing performed by thecentralized service registration server.

FIG. 102 is a flowchart continued from the flowchart of FIG. 101illustrating service registration processing performed by thecentralized service registration server.

FIG. 103 is a flowchart illustrating service registration processingperformed by the service providing server.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 illustrates the configuration of an embodiment of an informationprocessing system to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 2,a setting terminal device 121 for setting a CE device 132 is installedin an operation center 101 for setting the connection of CE devices132-1 and 132-2 manufactured by a CE device manufacturer 103 to theInternet 1, and for setting the registration of the CE devices 132-1 and132-2 in service providing servers 102-1 through 102-n. The operationcenter 101 is connected to the Internet 1. The service providing servers102-1 through 102-n for providing various services to CE devicespossessed by users, such as a microwave oven 110, a television receiver111, a car navigation system 112, and a refrigerator 113, are connectedto the Internet 1.

A manufacturer server 131 installed in the CE device manufacturer 103, acentralized service registration server 104, a CE-device registrationsetting server 105, and a connection-setting database server 106 arealso connected to the Internet 1. ISPs (Internet Service Providers)107-1 through 107-3 are also connected to the Internet 1. The carnavigation system 112 is connected to the ISP 107-1 via a cellulartelephone line 116 and a telephone line network 108. The refrigerator113 is connected to the ISP 107-1 via the telephone line network 108 bydial-up connection.

A setting terminal device 109 possessed by a user is connected to theISP 107-2 via the telephone line network 108. The microwave oven 110 isconnected to the ISP 107-3 via a public wireless LAN (Local AreaNetwork) base station 115, and the television receiver 111 is connectedto the ISP 107-3 via a LAN.

In FIG. 2, the car navigation system 112 is connected to the ISP 107-1via the cellular telephone line 116 and the telephone line network 108.However, this is only an example of connection modes, and the carnavigation system 112 is not necessarily connected to the ISP 107-1 viathe cellular telephone line 116 and the telephone line network 108.Instead, the car navigation system 112 can be connected to the ISP 107via a certain network; for example, the car navigation system 112 can beconnected to the ISP 107 via the public wireless LAN base station 115.Similarly, as stated above, the refrigerator 113 is connected to the ISP107-1 via the telephone line network 108, the microwave oven 110 isconnected to the ISP 107-3 via the public wireless LAN base station 115,and the television receiver 111 is connected to the ISP 107-3 via theLAN. However, these CE devices are not necessarily connected to the ISPs107 via the above-described networks, and they can be connected to theISPs 107 by using other networks.

In FIG. 2, the setting terminal device 109 is connected to the ISPs 107via the telephone line network 108. However, the connection state is notlimited to this. That is, the setting terminal device 109 can beconnected to the ISPs 107 via, for example, the public wireless LAN, theLAN, the cellular telephone line, or other networks.

The microwave oven 110, the television receiver 111, the car navigationsystem 112, and the refrigerator 113 are CE devices provided withfunctions for connecting to networks, and receive services from serviceproviding servers for providing services desired by the users among theservice providing servers 102-1 through 102-n and a service providingserver 145. These CE devices can be communicated with each other, and adrive for a memory card 114 is provided for each of the car navigationsystem 112 and the refrigerator 113.

In the ISP 107-1, an access server 141 is called from CE devices, suchas the car navigation system 112 and the refrigerator 113, via thetelephone line network 108 so as to be connected to such CE devices, andperforms authentication processing for the CE devices. Afterauthenticating the CE devices, the access server 141 allows the CEdevices to connect to the Internet 1. The access server 141 may beconnected to the CE devices via a certain network other than thetelephone line network 108.

When performing user registration, a registration server 142 sends userinformation obtained from the user, and user ID and password to adatabase server 144, and stores them therein. A connectionauthentication server 143 performs authentication for the user ID andpassword. The database server 144 stores device IDs of manufactured CEdevices, user information, user IDs, passwords, and period-restrictedpasswords for individual users. In response to a request from anotherserver, the database server 144 searches for the stored data, andreturns search results to the server that has made the request.

As in the service providing servers 102, the service providing server145 provides the predetermined services to the car navigation system 112and the refrigerator 113. A web authentication proxy server 146 performsauthentication for the CE devices that receive services from the serviceproviding server 145 or the service providing server 102.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the configuration of the access server141. In FIG. 3, a CPU 201 performs various types of processing accordingto programs stored in a ROM 202 or programs loaded into a RAM 203 from astorage unit 208. In the RAM 203, data required for executing varioustypes of processing by the CPU 201 are also stored.

The CPU 201, the ROM 202, and the RAM 203 are connected to each othervia a bus 204. An input/output interface 205 is also connected to thisbus 204.

An input unit 206 formed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., an output unit207 formed of a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display or LCD (Liquid CrystalDisplay) device, a speaker, etc., the storage unit 208 formed of, forexample, a hard disk, and a communication unit 209 formed of a modem, aterminal adapter, etc., are connected to the input/output interface 205.The communication unit 209 performs communication processing vianetworks including the Internet 1.

A drive 210 is also connected to the input/output interface 205 whennecessary. A magnetic disk 211, an optical disc 212, a magneto-opticaldisk 213, or a memory card 214 is suitably loaded in the drive 210, anda computer program read from such a recording medium is installed intothe storage unit 208 if necessary.

The basic configurations of the setting terminal device 121, the serviceproviding server 102, the manufacturer server 131, the centralizedservice registration server 104, the CE-device registration settingserver 105, the connection-setting database server 106, the settingterminal device 109, the registration server 142, the connectionauthentication server 143, the database server 144, the serviceproviding server 145, and the web authentication proxy server 146 aresimilar to the configuration of the access server 141.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the configuration of the refrigerator113. In FIG. 4, a CPU 231 performs various types of processing accordingto programs stored in a ROM 232 or programs loaded into a RAM 233 from astorage unit 238. In the RAM 233, data required for executing varioustypes of processing by the CPU 231 are also stored.

The CPU 231, the ROM 232, and the RAM 233 are connected to each othervia a bus 234. An input/output interface 235 is also connected to thisbus 234.

A refrigerating unit 236 formed of a sensor for the temperature and thehumidity in the refrigerator and a device for generating cool air anddischarging it into the refrigerator, an output unit 237 formed of a CRT(Cathode Ray Tube) display or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) device, aspeaker, etc., the storage unit 238 formed of, for example, a hard disk,and a communication unit 239 formed of a modem, a terminal adapter,etc., are connected to the input/output interface 235. The communicationunit 239 performs communication processing via networks including theInternet 1.

A drive 240 is also connected to the input/output interface 235 whennecessary. A magnetic disk 241, an optical disc 242, a magneto-opticaldisk 243, or the memory card 114 is suitably loaded in the drive 240,and a computer program read from such a recording medium is installedinto the storage unit 238 if necessary.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the configuration of the car navigationsystem 112. In FIG. 5, a CPU 261 performs various types of processingaccording to programs stored in a ROM 262 or programs loaded into a RAM263 from a storage unit 272. In the RAM 263, data required for executingvarious types of processing by the CPU 261 are also stored.

The CPU 261, the ROM 262, and the RAM 263 are connected to each othervia a bus 264. An input/output interface 265 is also connected to thisbus 264.

A GPS (Global Positioning System) 266 for calculating, based oncommunication with a satellite, the position of an automobile in whichthe car navigation system 112 is installed, an operation input unit 267for receiving an operation input by a user through a panel switch 268 ora remote controller 269, a display output unit 270 for controlling thedisplay of images on a display unit 271, such as a CRT display or LCDdevice, the storage unit 272 formed of, for example, a hard disk, and acommunication unit 273 formed of a modem, a terminal adapter, etc., areconnected to the input/output interface 265. The communication unit 273performs communication processing via networks including the Internet 1.

A drive 274 is also connected to the input/output interface 265 whennecessary. A magnetic disk 275, an optical disc 276, a magneto-opticaldisk 277, or the memory card 114 is suitably loaded in the drive 274,and a computer program read from such a recording medium is installedinto the storage unit 272 if necessary.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the manufacturer server 131. Anoperating system 301 manages and controls the overall processing of themanufacturer server 131. A communication control program 302 controlscommunication via the Internet 1. A data processing program 303 controlsthe storage and search for data concerning the CE devices 132manufactured in the CE device manufacturer 103 and shipped therefrom. Astorage control program 304 controls the storage of device IDs of the CEdevices 132 manufactured in the CE device manufacturer 103 and shippedtherefrom, and passphrases (for example, random numbers, details aregiven below) that cannot be identified by the user. A device-IDgenerating program 305 controls the generation of the device IDs of theCE devices 132 manufactured in the CE device manufacturer 103 andshipped therefrom. An operation-input control program 306 controls thereception of operations input into the manufacturer server 131. Adisplay control program 307 controls the display operation of themanufacturer server 131.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the setting terminal devices 109and 121. An operating system 321 manages and controls the overallprocessing of the setting terminal device 109 (or setting terminaldevice 121). A communication control program 322 controls communicationvia the Internet 1. A browser 323 controls the display (playback) ofHTML (Hypertext Markup Language) documents, image data including stillimages and moving pictures, and audio data received from networks. Thebrowser 323 also operates application software described in programminglanguages, such as Java (registered trademark) Script or Java(registered trademark). The browser 323 also controls the transmissionof information input into a form by the user. An operation-input controlprogram 324 controls the reception of operations input into the settingterminal device 109 (or setting terminal device 121). A display controlprogram 325 controls the display of images on the display unit. A drivecontrol program 326 controls the reading and writing of information fromand into the memory card 114 loaded in the drive. A storage controlprogram 327 controls the storage of information into the storage unit.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the access server 141. Anoperating system 341 manages and controls the overall processing of theaccess server 141. A communication control program 342 controlscommunication. A computation processing program 343 controlspredetermined computation processing for performing authentication forCE devices. An authentication program 344 controls authenticationprocessing for CE devices. A storage control program 345 controls thestorage of information into the storage unit. A display control program346 controls the display of images on the display unit.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the registration server 142. Anoperating system 361 manages and controls the overall processing of theregistration server 142. A communication control program 362 controlscommunication. A user-ID/password/period-restricted-password generatingprogram 363 controls the generation of user IDs, passwords, andperiod-restricted passwords. A product-client registration codetranslation program 364 controls the translation of product-clientregistration codes into device IDs. A storage control program 365controls the storage of information into the storage unit. A displaycontrol program 366 controls the display of images on the display unit.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the connection authenticationserver 143. An operating system 381 manages and controls the overallprocessing of the connection authentication server 143. A communicationcontrol program 382 controls communication. A display control program383 controls the display of images on the display unit. Anauthentication program 384 controls the authentication processing forusers. A storage control program 385 controls the storage of informationinto the storage unit.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the database server 144. Anoperating system 401 manages and controls the overall processing of thedatabase server 144. A communication control program 402 controlscommunication. A data processing program 403 controls the overallstorage and search for information concerning users. A storage controlprogram 404 controls the storage of information into the storage unit. Adata search program 405 controls search for desired data from the datastored in the storage unit. A display control program 406 controls thedisplay of images on the display unit.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the service providing servers 102and 145. An operating system 421 manages and controls the overallprocessing of the service providing server 102 (or service providingserver 145). A communication control program 422 controls communication.A service providing program 423 controls processing concerning servicesprovided via networks including the Internet 1. An operation-inputcontrol program 424 controls the execution of the processing in responseto input operations. A storage control program 425 controls the storageof information into the storage unit. A display control program 426controls the display of images on the display unit.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the web authentication proxyserver 146. An operating system 441 manages and controls the overallprocessing of the web authentication proxy server 146. A communicationcontrol program 442 controls communication. An authentication program443 controls the authentication processing for users. A storage controlprogram 444 controls the storage of information into the storage unit. Adisplay control program 445 controls the display of images on thedisplay unit.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the CE-device registrationsetting server 105. An operating system 461 manages and controls theoverall processing of the CE-device registration setting server 105. Acommunication control program 462 controls communication. Aconnection-information generating program 463 controls the generation ofconnection information for connecting CE devices to networks includingthe Internet 1. The connection information is information required forconnecting CE devices to networks, for example, an address obtainingmethod, ISP login ID/password, dedicated access point telephone no.,DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server address, DNS (DomainName System) server address, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) serveraddress, POP (Post Office Protocol) server address, IMAP (InternetMessage Access Protocol) server address, proxy server address, defaultgateway address, login ID/password to the service providing server 102(or service providing server 145), wireless LAN ID/password, and ESS ID(Extended Service Set Identity). A login-ID/password generating program464 controls the generation of a login ID and password required forlogging in to the ISP 107 and the service providing server 102 (orservice providing server 145). A storage control program 465 controlsthe storage of information into the storage unit. A display controlprogram 466 controls the display of images on the display unit.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the connection-setting databaseserver 106. An operating system 481 manages and controls the overallprocessing of the connection-setting database server 106. Acommunication control program 482 controls communication. A dataprocessing program 483 controls the overall storage and search for userinformation. A storage control program 484 controls the storage ofinformation into the storage unit. A data search program 485 controlssearch for desired data from the data stored in the storage unit. Adisplay control program 486 controls the display of images on thedisplay unit.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the centralized serviceregistration server 104. An operating system 501 manages and controlsthe overall processing of the centralized service registration server104. A communication control program 502 controls communication. A dataprocessing program 503 controls the overall storage and search for userinformation. A storage control program 504 controls the storage ofinformation into the storage unit. A data search program 505 controlssearch for desired data from the data stored in the storage unit. Adisplay control program 506 controls the display of images on thedisplay unit. A registration-ID/password generating program 507 controlsthe generation of registration IDs and passwords. An authenticationprogram 508 controls authentication processing for users.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the refrigerator 113. Anoperating system 521 manages and controls the overall processing of therefrigerator 113. A communication control program 522 controlscommunication. A browser 523 controls the display (playback) of HTMLdocuments, image data including still images and moving pictures, andaudio data received from networks. The browser 523 also operatesapplication software described in programming languages, such as Java(registered trademark) Script or Java (registered trademark). Thebrowser 523 also controls the transmission of information input into aform by the user. A computation processing program 524 controlspredetermined computation for authentication processing for therefrigerator 113. A storage control program 525 controls the storage ofinformation into the storage unit 238. A refrigerator-environmentcontrol program 526 controls adjustments for the temperature andhumidity in the refrigerator 113. A display control program 527 controlsthe display of images (including characters) on the display unit.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example of the configuration of a program forcontrolling the processing executed by the car navigation system 112. Anoperating system 541 manages and controls the overall processing of thecar navigation system 112. A communication control program 542 controlscommunication. A browser 543 controls the display (playback) of HTMLdocuments, image data including still images and moving pictures, andaudio data received from networks. The browser 543 also operatesapplication software described in programming languages, such as Java(registered trademark) Script or Java (registered trademark). Thebrowser 543 also controls the transmission of information input into aform by the user. A display control program 544 displays screens ofimages (including characters) on the display unit 271. Aposition-information control program 545 calculates, based on an outputfrom the GPS 266, the position of an automobile in which the carnavigation system 112 is installed on a map. An operation-input controlprogram 546 controls the execution of the processing in response toinput operations. A storage control program 547 controls the storage ofinformation into the storage unit 272.

An overview of one embodiment of the information processing system towhich the present invention is applied is described below with referenceto FIGS. 19 through 23.

In step S1 of FIG. 19, the CE device 132 is manufactured in the CEdevice manufacturer 103. In this case, in the memory of the CE device132, the device ID for specifying the CE device generated by thedevice-ID generating program 305 of the manufacturer server 131, andrandom numbers that cannot be deciphered by users (in the followingdescription, such random numbers are referred to as a “passphrase”) arestored. In step S2, the manufacturer server 131 controls a CE-deviceregistration master 602, which is a database, to store the device ID andpassphrase of the CE device 132 manufactured in step S1.

In step S3, the CE device manufacturer 103 generates a product-clientregistration code 601 based on the device ID stored by the manufacturerserver 131 in step S2, and attaches the product-client registration code601 to the CE device 132. The product-client registration code 601 maybe attached to the CE device 132 by, for example, placing a seal onwhich the product-client registration code 601 is printed into a box inwhich the CE device 132 is packed. FIG. 20 illustrates examples of theproduct-client registration codes corresponding to the device IDs. Morespecifically, in FIG. 20, four device IDs, i.e., 1234, 1235, 1236, and1237, are shown at the left, and product-client registration codes,i.e., 421321, 522361, 522341, and 623381, associated with the deviceIDs, are shown at the right. An example of methods for computingproduct-client registration codes from device IDs is as follows.

When the device ID is 1234, the total of the individual digits of thedevice ID “1234”, i.e., “10”, is divided by 9, resulting in theremainder “1”. This remainder “1” is inserted as the third digit,resulting in “12134”. Then, the first digit and the fifth digit of thisvalue “12134” are swapped, resulting in “42131”. The total of theindividual digits of this value “42131”, i.e., “11”, is multiplied by 2,resulting in “22”. The first digit “2” of “22” is inserted as the fifthdigit, resulting in product-client registration code “421321”.Thereafter, calculation is similarly performed for the device IDs“1235”, “1236”, and “1237”. That is, the remainder obtained by dividingthe total of the individual digits by 9 is inserted as the third digit.The first digit and the fifth digit of the resulting value are swapped.Then, the first digit of the value obtained by doubling the total of theindividual digits is inserted as the fifth digit. As a result, theproduct-client registration codes 522361, 522341, and 623381 arecalculated.

The device IDs are serially numbered as 1234, 1235, 1236, and 1237.However, the calculated product-client registration codes are no longerconsecutive, as in 421321, 522361, 522341, and 623381. If the device IDis attached to the CE device 132 as it is, and is sold, the user is ableto predict the device IDs of the other shipped CE devices 132 based onthe device ID of the purchased CE device 132, thereby increasing thedanger of dishonest use of predicted device IDs. In contrast, theproduct-client registration code is generated from the device ID bypredetermined calculation, and is attached to the CE device 132. Theuser is thus unable to predict the product-client registration codes ofthe other shipped CE devices 132 based on the product-clientregistration code of the purchased CE device 132, thereby preventing thedishonest use of the device IDs. The above-described calculation methodfor the product-client registration codes from the device IDs is anexample only, and another method may be employed for generating theproduct-client registration codes from the device IDs. It has to beunderstood from the registration master that the device IDs and theproduct-client registration codes are associated with each other so thatthe device IDs can be determined from the product-client registrationcodes.

In step S4, the manufacturer server 131 of the CE device manufacturer103 sends the CE-device (132) registration master 602, which is adatabase of the device IDs and passphrases of the manufactured CEdevices 132, to the database server 144 of the ISP 107-1 via theInternet 1, and stores it therein. When sending the passphrases anddevice IDs to the database server 144, the manufacturer server 131encrypts the passphrases and device IDs by predetermined means so as toprevent them from being eavesdropped by a third party, and then sendsthem to the database server 144.

Instead of using a public line, such as the Internet 1, a dedicatednetwork may be installed between the manufacturer server 131 and thedatabase server 144 therebetween so as to send the device IDs andpassphrases to the database server 144 from the manufacturer server 131.

In the following description, communication is performed betweenpredetermined two or more devices among the CE devices 132 (includingthe microwave oven 110, the television receiver 111, the car navigationsystem 112, and the refrigerator 113), the service providing server 102,the centralized service registration server 104, the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105, the connection-setting database server106, the setting terminal devices 109 and 121, the manufacturer server131, the access server 141, the registration server 142, the connectionauthentication server 143, the database server 144, the serviceproviding server 145, and the web authentication proxy server 146. Inthis case, information sent and received in communication may beencrypted by predetermined means, and then, information can be sent andreceived more securely.

In particular, it is desirable that high-security information, such asuser personal information, be encrypted before being sent and received.

For simple description, for example, the sending and receiving via theInternet 1 is hereinafter simply referred to as “sending and receiving”by omitting “via the Internet 1”.

Subsequently, in step S11 of FIG. 21, the CE device 132 manufactured inthe CE device manufacturer 103 is shipped to a store/web 603. “Web”means mail order using the Internet 1. In step S12, the CE device 132 ispurchased by a user 611.

Then, in step S21 of FIG. 22, the user 611 starts to performregistration processing for the purchased CE device 132 by using, forexample, a personal computer owned by the user 611, as the settingterminal device 109. More specifically, the setting terminal device 109starts a registration application (for example, the browser 323 or adedicated application for registering the CE device 132), and accesses aCE-device registration site run by the registration server 142. Then,the setting terminal device 109 receives the input of informationconcerning the user (hereinafter referred to as “user information”), forexample, the address, postal code, name, date of birth, gender,telephone no. and the type, number, effective period, and name of acredit card, etc., from the user, and sends the input user informationto the registration server 142. The registration server 142 sends theuser information to the database server 144. The database server 144stores the received user information in a user registration master 621,which is a database of user information.

The above-described dedicated application for registration is providedwith a format of user information to be registered in the registrationserver 142, and includes a program for displaying an input screen on thedisplay unit of the setting terminal device 109, receiving the input ofuser information from the user, storing the input user information, andsending the user information to the registration server 142simultaneously or dividing the information and sequentially sending thedivided portions to the registration server 142.

In step S22, the setting terminal device 109 displays a screen forinstructing the user 611 to input the product-client registration code601, and receives the input of the product-client registration code 601from the user 611. The setting terminal device 109 sends the receivedproduct-client registration code 601 to the registration server 142. Theproduct-client registration code translation program 364 of theregistration server 142 computes the device ID from the receivedproduct-client registration code 601 according to predeterminedcalculations. The calculations can be made by reversing the order of thecalculation process used for generating the product-client registrationcode from the device ID.

That is, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the product-clientregistration code calculation equations for the manufacturer server 131to calculate the product-client registration codes from the device IDsand the device-ID calculation equations for the registration server 142to calculate the device IDs from the product-client registration codes.The manufacturer server 131 possesses the product-client registrationcode calculation equations in advance, and the registration server 142possesses in advance the device-ID calculation equations correspondingto the product-client registration code calculation equations possessedby the manufacturer server 131. This enables the registration server 142to calculate the original device ID from the product-client registrationcode which was calculated from the device ID by the manufacturer server131.

For example, the process for calculating the device ID “1234” from theproduct-client registration code “421321” shown in step S3 of FIG. 19 asan example is performed as follows. The upper fifth digit of theproduct-client registration code “421321” is deleted, resulting in“42131”. The first and fifth digits of “42131” are swapped, resulting in“12134”. Then, the third digit of “12134” is deleted, resulting in thedevice ID “1234”.

In step S23, the registration server 142 checks with the database server144 to see whether the same device ID as the device ID calculated instep S22 is registered in the CE-device registration master 602 so as todetermine whether the CE device 132 corresponding to the device ID wasactually shipped.

If it is determined that the CE device 132 corresponding to the deviceID was actually shipped, in step S24, the registration server 142instructs the database server 144 to store the device ID registered inthe CE-device registration master 602 and the user information stored inthe user registration master 621 in step S21 so that they can beassociated with each other. In response to this instruction, thedatabase server 144 stores the device ID and the user information sothat they can be associated with each other. This makes it possible tosearch for the user information based on the device ID. If theproduct-client registration codes are simply associated with the deviceIDs, the database server 144 is searched for the device ID, and then,the user information is searched for.

After the above-described process, the registration processing for theCE device 132 is completed, and the user is able to connect to theInternet 1 through the CE device 132.

Then, in step S31 of FIG. 23, in response to an instruction from theuser 611 to receive a service provided by the service providing server145, in step S32, the CE device 132 accesses the access server 141 byHTTP.

The access server 141 generates random numbers (hereinafter referred toas “challenge”), and sends them to the CE device 132. The CE device 132then calculates a hash function corresponding to the value obtained byadding the received challenge to the passphrase stored in the CE device132, and then, sends the calculated hash value to the access server 141and also stores it in the storage unit.

The access server 141 reads the passphrase corresponding to the deviceID sent from the CE device 132 from the CE-device registration master602 stored in the database server 144, and adds the generated challengeto the passphrase, thereby calculating a hash function. The accessserver 141 then compares the hash value sent from the CE device 132 withthe hash value calculated by the access server 141. If the two hashvalues are the same, the access server 141 allows the CE device 132 toconnect to the Internet 1. In step S33, the access server 141 sends thecalculated hash value to the database server 144, and stores it therein.

The browser of the CE device 132 continuously sends a connection requestfor a certain period of time, and when being allowed to connect to theInternet 1, in step S34, the CE device 132 accesses the predesignatedweb authentication proxy server 146. Upon receiving the connectionrequest from the CE device 132, the web authentication proxy server 146sends an authentication request to the CE device 132. Upon receiving theauthentication request, the CE device 132 sends the device ID and thehash value stored in the storage unit to the web authentication proxyserver 146.

Upon receiving the device ID and the hash function from the CE device132, in step S35, the web authentication proxy server 146 accesses thedatabase server 144 and requests it to send the hash value storedcorresponding to the device ID. Upon receiving the hash value from thedatabase server 144, the web authentication proxy server 146 comparesthe hash value with the hash value received from the CE device 132. Ifthe two hash values are the same, in step S36, the web authenticationproxy server 146 specifies the user (instead of simply allowing the CEdevice 132 to connect to the service providing server 145, it isnecessary to specify the user himself/herself according to the purposeof use, for example, purchases and sales of goods via the Internet 1),and allows the CE device 132 to connect to the service providing server145. The CE device 132 then receives services possessed by the serviceproviding server 145.

In this case, the services possessed by the service providing server 145are sometimes sent to the CE device 132 via the web authentication proxyserver 146, and are sometimes directly sent to the CE device 132 withoutthe web authentication proxy server 146. Particularly when the amount ofinformation of services provided by the service providing server 145 islarge, the services may be provided directly to the CE device 132 fromthe service providing server 145. When the amount of information ofservices provided by the service providing server 145 is small, theservices may be provided to the CE device 132 from the service providingserver 145 via the web authentication proxy server 146.

As described above, the CE device 132 is able to connect to both theInternet 1 and the service providing server 145 by using the device IDand passphrase. As stated above, every time the access server 141performs authentication for the CE device 132, it sends challenge, andcompares a hash value calculated by the CE device 132 with a hash valuecalculated by the access server 141. Accordingly, the hash value sentfrom the CE device 132 to the access server 141 and the webauthentication proxy server 146 becomes different every time the CEdevice 132 makes a connection request. Thus, even if a hash value isstolen by a third party, it cannot be used for subsequentauthentication, thereby preventing the third party from pretending to bethe user and from being authenticated by the access server 141.

The hash value calculated from the passphrase and the challenge issecurely stored in the CE device 132 and the database server 144, andauthentication for connecting to the Internet and authentication forconnecting to a service site is conducted by using the stored hashvalue, thereby making it possible to log in to the service providingserver 145 by one trigger.

In the above description, the hash value is calculated by adding thepassphrase to challenge. However, the present invention is notrestricted to this calculation method. Certain calculation equationsusing passphrase and challenge may be preset in both the access server141 and the CE device 132, and the hash value can be calculated based onthese equations.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 24, an ID and a password are requiredfor connecting to the ISP 107 and another ID and another password arerequired for connecting to a service providing server 102A and a serviceproviding server 102B. In this embodiment, however, as shown in FIG. 25,only one ID and one password are required for connecting to the ISP 107and for connecting to the service providing server 102A and the serviceproviding server 102B. That is, in FIGS. 24 and 25, broken linesindicate a range that can be connected with the same ID and the samepassword.

In known authentication shown in FIG. 24, it is possible to connect tothe service providing server 102A and the service providing server 102Bby using the same ID and the same password. However, another ID andanother password must be used for connecting to the ISP 107.

In contrast, in authentication to which the invention of thisapplication is applied, as shown in FIG. 25, the same ID and the samepassword can be used to connect to the service providing server 102A,the service providing server 102B, and the ISP 107.

The processing performed by the manufacturer server 131 of the CE devicemanufacturer 103 is described below with reference to the flowchart ofFIG. 26.

In the CE device manufacturer 103, when manufacturing the CE device 132,the device ID and passphrase are recorded in a predetermined memory ofthe CE device 132. Then, in step S101, the storage control program 304of the manufacturer server 131 stores the device ID and passphrase. Instep S102, the communication control program 302 of the manufacturerserver 131 sends the device ID and passphrase to the database server144, and requests it to store them. In response to this request, thedatabase server 144 stores the device ID and passphrase. Accordingly,the device ID and passphrase of the manufactured CE device 132 arestored in the database server 144.

The method for registration processing and authentication processing forthe CE device 132 is different according to whether the CE device 132has an input interface for receiving the input of operation by the user.

A detailed description is given below, with reference to the flowchartsof FIGS. 27 through 30, of registration processing for the refrigerator113 as an example of the CE device 132 without an input interface (inputinterface for receiving the input of operations).

The user who has purchased the refrigerator 113 performs registrationprocessing for the refrigerator 113 by using a personal computer ownedby the user as the setting terminal device 109. In step S111, thesetting terminal device 109 receives the input of an instruction toregister the refrigerator 113 from the user. In step S112, the browser323 then accesses a predetermined registration site owned by theregistration server 142, and requests user registration for therefrigerator 113.

In step S131 of FIG. 28, the communication control program 362 of theregistration server 142 receives the user registration request for therefrigerator 113 from the setting terminal device 109. Then, in stepS132, the communication control program 362 requests the settingterminal device 109 to send user information.

In step S113, the browser 323 of the setting terminal device 109receives the user information request from the registration server 142.In step S114, the display control program 325 displays a screen forinstructing the user to input user information, and the operation-inputcontrol program 324 receives the input of the user information from theuser. In step S115, the browser 323 of the setting terminal device 109sends the user information input in step S114 to the registration server142.

In step S133, the registration server 142 receives the user informationfrom the setting terminal device 109. Then, in step S134, theuser-ID/password/period-restricted-password generating program 363 ofthe registration server 142 generates the user ID and password. In stepS135, the communication control program 362 of the registration server142 sends the user information and the user ID and password generated instep S134 to the database server 144.

In step S151 of FIG. 30, the database server 144 receives the userinformation, and the user ID and password from the registration server142. In step S152, the storage control program 404 of the databaseserver 144 stores the user information, and the user ID and passwordreceived in step S151 in the storage unit so that they can be associatedwith each other. In step S153, the communication control program 402 ofthe database server 144 sends the registration server 142 a messageindicating that that the user information and the user ID and passwordare stored so that they can be associated with each other.

In step S136, the registration server 142 receives from the databaseserver 144 the message indicating that the user information and the userID and password are stored so that they can be associated with eachother. In step S137, the communication control program 362 of theregistration server 142 sends the user ID and password generated in stepS134 to the setting terminal device 109, and also requests the settingterminal device 109 to send the product-client registration code.

In step S116, the setting terminal device 109 receives the user ID andpassword, and also receives the product-client registration code requestfrom the registration server 142.

In step S117, the display control program 325 of the setting terminaldevice 109 displays the user ID and password received in step S116, andalso displays a screen for instructing the user to input theproduct-client registration code. After receiving the input of theproduct-client registration code from the user, in step S118, thebrowser 323 of the setting terminal device 109 sends the product-clientregistration code input in step S117 to the registration server 142.

In step S138 of FIG. 29, the registration server 142 receives theproduct-client registration code from the setting terminal device 109.Then, in step S139, the product-client registration code translationprogram 364 of the registration server 142 calculates the device ID fromthe product-client registration code received in step S138 according topredetermined calculations. In step S140, the communication controlprogram 362 of the registration server 142 sends the device IDcalculated in step S139 to the database server 144, and makes a query asto whether the CE device of the sent device ID is registered in the CEdevices 132 shipped from the manufacturer, or whether the CE device 132of the same device ID is already registered for another user.

In step S154, the database server 144 receives the device ID from theregistration server 142, and also receives a query as to whether the CEdevice of the received device ID is registered in the CE devices 132shipped from the manufacturer, and whether the CE device 132 of the samedevice ID is already registered for another user.

The database server 144 prestores the device IDs and passphrases of theCE devices 132 sent from the manufacturer server 131 when the CE devices132 were manufactured. Then, in step S155, the data search program 405of the database server 144 searches for the device IDs supplied from themanufacturer server 131 and stored in the database server 144 when theCE devices 132 were manufactured, and determines whether the same deviceID as the device ID received in step S154 is stored. If userregistration has already been conducted for the CE device 132 having thesame device ID as the device ID received in step S154, the CE device 132is to be doubly registered. In order to prevent this, the data searchprogram 405 of the database server 144 searches for the data of thedevice IDs of the CE devices 132 for which user registration has alreadybeen conducted so as to determine whether the same device ID has alreadybeen registered.

If it is determined that the CE device 132 having the same device ID asthe device ID received in step S154 has been shipped from the CE devicemanufacturer 103, and that user registration has not been conducted forthe CE device 132 having the same device ID, in step S156, thecommunication control program 402 of the database server 144 sendsdetermination results to the registration server 142.

In step S141, the registration server 142 receives from the databaseserver 144 the determination results indicating that the CE device 132having the same device ID as the device ID calculated in step S139 hasbeen shipped from the CE device manufacturer 103, and that userregistration has not been conducted for the CE device 132 having thesame device ID. Then, in step S142, the communication control program362 requests the database server 144 to register the user informationsent in step S135 and the device ID sent in step S140 so that they canbe associated with each other.

In step S157, the database server 144 receives from the registrationserver 142 a request to register the user information and the device IDso that they can be associated with each other. Then, in step S158, thestorage control program 404 of the database server 144 registers theuser information and the user ID and password registered in step S152and the device ID received in step S154 so that they can be associatedwith each other. In step S159, the communication control program 402 ofthe database server 144 sends the registration server 142 a messageindicating that the user information, user ID and password, and thedevice ID have been registered so that they can be associated with eachother.

In step S143, the registration server 142 receives from the databaseserver 144 the message indicating that the user information, the user IDand password, and the device ID have been registered so that they can beassociated with each other. Then, in step S144, the communicationcontrol program 362 of the registration server 142 sends the settingterminal device 109 a message indicating that user registration for therefrigerator 113 has been completed.

In step S119, the setting terminal device 109 receives from theregistration server 142 the message indicating that user registrationfor the refrigerator 113 has been completed. The display control program325 displays a message screen indicating that registration has beencompleted.

Registration processing for the refrigerator 113 has been completed asdescribed above. In the above description, when conducting registrationprocessing for the refrigerator 113 (CE device 132), the settingterminal device 109 accesses the registration server 142 by using thebrowser 323 by way of example. However, instead of the browser 323, adedicated application for registering the CE device 132 may be employedto access the registration server 142. That is, a dedicated applicationfor registering the CE device 132 may be installed in the settingterminal device 109, and when registering the CE device 132, thisdedicated application is run to access the registration server 142.

This dedicated application is provided with an information format forregistering the CE device 132 in the registration server 142, andincludes a program for storing information input into the settingterminal device 109 by the user and for sending the information to theregistration server 142 simultaneously or dividing the information andsequentially sending the divided portions to the registration server142.

Authentication processing for the refrigerator 113 is now describedbelow with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 31 through 35.

In step S201 of FIG. 31, the browser 523 of the refrigerator 113 sendsthe access server 141 a request to connect to the Internet 1.

In step S221 of FIG. 32, the access server 141 receives the request toconnect to the Internet 1 from the refrigerator 113. In step S222, thecomputation processing program 343 of the access server 141 generates achallenge code, which is a random number, and the communication controlprogram 342 sends the challenge code to the refrigerator 113.

In step S202, the refrigerator 113 receives the challenge code from theaccess server 141. In step S203, the storage control program 525 of therefrigerator 113 reads the device ID and passphrase stored in thestorage unit 238. In step S204, the computation processing program 524of the refrigerator 113 adds the passphrase read in step S203 to thechallenge code received in step S202, and then calculates a hash valueaccording to predetermined calculations using a hash function.

In step S205, the browser 523 of the refrigerator 113 sends the deviceID read in step S203 and the hash value calculated in step S204 to theaccess server 141. Then, in step S206, the storage control program 525stores the hash value calculated in step S204 in the storage unit 238.

In step S223, the access server 141 receives the device ID and the hashvalue from the refrigerator 113. In step S224, the communication controlprogram 342 of the access server 141 sends the device ID received fromthe refrigerator 113 in step S223 to the database server 144, and alsorequests the database server 144 to send the passphrase corresponding tothe device ID.

In step S261 of FIG. 34, the database server 144 receives the device ID,and also receives a request to send the passphrase corresponding to thedevice ID from the access server 141. In step S262, the data searchprogram 405 of the database server 144 reads the passphrasecorresponding to the device ID received in step S261, and thecommunication control program 402 sends the passphrase read by the datasearch program 405 to the access server 141.

In step S225, the access server 141 receives the passphrase from thedatabase server 144. In step S226, the computation processing program343 of the access server 141 adds the challenge code generated in stepS222 to the passphrase received in step S225 so as to calculate a hashvalue according to the same predetermined calculations as those used forcalculating the hash value by the computation processing program 524 ofthe refrigerator 113 in step S204.

In step S227, the authentication program 344 of the access server 141determines whether the hash value received from the refrigerator 113 instep S223 coincides with the hash value calculated by the computationprocessing program 343 in step S226. If the hash value received from therefrigerator 113 in step S223 is the same as the hash value calculatedby the computation processing program 343 in step S226, in step S228,the communication control program 342 of the access server 141 sends therefrigerator 113 a message indicating that the refrigerator 113 ispermitted to connect to the Internet 1. In step S207, the refrigerator113 receives from the access server 141 the message indicating that therefrigerator 113 is permitted to connect to the Internet 1.

In step S229, the communication control program 342 of the access server141 sends the hash value calculated in step S226 to the database server144. In step S263, the database server 144 receives the hash value fromthe access server 141. In step S264, the storage control program 404 ofthe database server 144 stores the hash value received in step S263.

In step S208, the browser 523 of the refrigerator 113 sends the webauthentication proxy server 146 a request to connect to the serviceproviding server 145.

In step S241 of FIG. 33, the web authentication proxy server 146receives a request to connect to the service providing server 145 fromthe refrigerator 113. In step S242, the communication control program442 of the web authentication proxy server 146 sends an authenticationrequest to the refrigerator 113.

In step S209, the refrigerator 113 receives the authentication requestfrom the web authentication proxy server 146. Then, in step S210, thestorage control program 525 of the refrigerator 113 reads the device IDand the hash value stored in the storage unit 238 in step S206. In stepS211, the browser 523 of the refrigerator 113 sends the device ID andthe hash value read in step S210 to the web authentication proxy server146.

In step S243, the web authentication proxy server 146 receives thedevice ID and the hash value from the refrigerator 113. In step S244,the communication control program 442 of the web authentication proxyserver 146 sends the device ID received from the refrigerator 113 instep S243 to the database server 144, and also requests the databaseserver 144 to send the hash value corresponding to the device ID.

In step S265, the database server 144 receives a request to send thehash value corresponding to the device ID from the web authenticationproxy server 146. Then, the data search program 405 of the databaseserver 144 reads the hash value (which is stored in step S264)corresponding to the device ID, and the user ID stored in associatedwith the device ID. Then, in step S266, the communication controlprogram 402 sends the read hash value and the user ID to the webauthentication proxy server 146.

In step S245, the web authentication proxy server 146 receives the hashvalue and the user ID from the database server 144. In step S246, theauthentication program 443 of the web authentication proxy server 146determines whether the hash value received from the refrigerator 113 instep S243 is the same as the hash value received from the databaseserver 144 in step S245 so as to determine whether the refrigerator 113is to be authenticated. As a result, if the hash value received from therefrigerator 113 in step S243 is the same as the hash value receivedfrom the database server 144 in step S245, the authentication program443 specifies the user based on the user ID. Then, in step S247, thecommunication control program 442 of the web authentication proxy server146 sends the refrigerator 113 a permission to connect to the serviceproviding server 145.

In step S212, the refrigerator 113 receives a permission to connect tothe service providing server 145 from the web authentication proxyserver 146. Then, in step S213, the browser 523 of the refrigerator 113accesses the service providing server 145.

In step S281 of FIG. 35, the service providing server 145 receivesaccess from the refrigerator 113. In step S282, the service providingserver 145 starts the service providing program 423 to provide thepredetermined services possessed by the service providing server 145.

In step S214, the refrigerator 113 receives the predetermined servicesfrom the service providing server 145.

As described above, the refrigerator 113 is able to receiveauthentication from the access server and the web authentication proxyserver 146 based on the single device ID and the single passphrase. Asstated above, the user is able to connect to the Internet 1 and theservice providing server 145 without the need to input the ID orpassword.

In the above description, the hash value is calculated by adding thepassphrase to the challenge. However, the present invention is notlimited to this calculation method. Certain calculation equations usingthe passphrase and challenge (for example, the passphrase may bemultiplied with challenge, or other preset calculations may beperformed) may be used to calculate the hash value.

In the case of a CE device 132 with an input interface for receiving theinput of operations from the user, which is different from therefrigerator 113, user registration for the CE device 132,authentication for the CE device 132 by the access server 141, andauthentication by the web authentication proxy server 146 can be, ofcourse, performed by the above-described method. However, it is alsopossible to perform user registration for the CE device 132,authentication for the CE device 132 by the access server 141, andauthentication by the web authentication proxy server 146 according to amethod different from the above-described method.

A description is now given below of user registration processing for theCE device 132, authentication for the CE device 132 by the access server141, and authentication processing by the web authentication proxyserver 146, which can be performed for the CE device 132 with an inputinterface for receiving the input of operations from the user. In thiscase, the car navigation system 112 is taken as an example of such CEdevices 132.

Registration processing performed by the car navigation system 112 isdescribed below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 36 through 42.

In step S301, the car navigation system 112 is run by the user for thefirst time. Then, in step S302, the browser 543 of the car navigationsystem 112 sends the device ID to the access server 141.

In step S321 of FIG. 38, the access server 141 receives the device IDfrom the car navigation system 112. In step S322, the communicationcontrol program 342 of the access server 141 sends the device IDreceived in step S321 to the connection authentication server 143.

In step S341 of FIG. 39, the connection authentication server 143receives the device ID from the access server 141. In step S342, theconnection authentication server 143 sends the device ID received instep S341 to the database server 144, and requests the database server144 to verify the device ID against the data of the device IDs of themanufactured CE devices 132.

In step S381 of FIG. 42, the database server 144 receives the device IDfrom the connection authentication server 143, and also receives arequest to check the device ID. The database server 144 has received andstored the device IDs of the CE devices 132 manufactured in the CEdevice manufacturer 103 from the manufacturer server 131. In step S382,the data search program 405 of the database server 144 checks whetherthe same device ID as the device ID received in step S381 is included inthe device IDs received from the manufacturer server 131 so as todetermine whether the device ID received in step S381 is an authorizedID. The data search program 405 of the database server 144 also checkswhether the same device ID as the device ID received in step S381 isincluded in the device IDs of the CE devices 132 for which userregistration has been conducted in the database server 144, therebypreventing the CE device 132 being doubly registered.

If it is found that the same device ID as the device ID received in stepS381 is included in the device IDs received from the manufacturer server131, and that the same device ID as the device ID received in step S381is not included in the device IDs of the CE devices 132 for which userregistration has been conducted in the database server 144, in stepS383, the communication control program 402 of the database server 144sends the connection authentication server 143 a message indicating thatthe same device ID as the device ID received in step S381 is included inthe device IDs received from the manufacturer server 131, and that thesame device ID as the device ID received in step S381 is not included inthe device IDs of the CE devices 132 for which user registration hasbeen conducted in the database server 144.

In step S343, the connection authentication server 143 receives from thedatabase server 144 a message indicating that the same device ID as thedevice ID received in step S381 is included in the device IDs receivedfrom the manufacturer server 131, and that the same device ID as thedevice ID received in step S381 is not included in the device IDs of theCE devices 132 for which user registration has been conducted in thedatabase server 144. In step S344, the communication control program 382of the connection authentication server 143 sends a message indicatingthat the car navigation system 112 has been authenticated to the accessserver 141.

In step S323, the access server 141 receives a message indicating thatthe car navigation system 112 has been authenticated from the connectionauthentication server 143. In step S324, the communication controlprogram 342 of the access server 141 sends a message indicating that thecar navigation system 112 has been authenticated to the car navigationsystem 112.

In step S303, the car navigation system 112 receives a messageindicating that the car navigation system 112 has been authenticatedfrom the access server 141. Then, in step S304, the display controlprogram 544 of the car navigation system 112 displays a screen forinstructing the user to input user information on the display unit 271.In step S305, the operation-input control program 546 of the carnavigation system 112 receives the input of user information through thepanel switch 268 or the remote controller 269.

After the user information is input by the user, in step S306, thebrowser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends the user informationinput in step S305 to the registration server 142.

In step S361 of FIG. 40, the registration server 142 receives the userinformation from the car navigation system 112. Then, in step S362, thecommunication control program 362 of the registration server 142 sendsthe user information received in step S361 to the database server 144.

In step S384, the database server 144 receives the user information fromthe registration server 142. Then, in step S385, the storage controlprogram 404 of the database server 144 stores the user informationreceived in step S384, and the communication control program 402 sends amessage indicating that the user information is stored to theregistration server 142.

In step S363, the registration server 142 receives a message indicatingthat the user information is stored from the database server 144. Instep S364, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver requests the car navigation system 112 to send the device ID.

In step S307, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendthe device ID from the registration server 142. In step S308, thecommunication control program 542 of the car navigation system 112 sendsthe device ID to the registration server 142.

In step S365, the registration server 142 receives the device ID fromthe car navigation system 112.

In step S366, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends the user information received in step S361 to the carnavigation system 112, and requests the car navigation system 112 tocheck whether the user information and the car navigation system 112 arecorrectly associated.

In step S309, the car navigation system 112 receives from theregistration server 142 a request to check whether the user informationand the car navigation system 112 are associated. The display controlprogram 544 of the car navigation system 112 displays the received userinformation on the display unit 271, and instructs the user to checkwhether the user information and the car navigation system 112 arecorrectly associated. When the user confirms that the user informationand the car navigation system 112 are correctly associated, the processproceeds to step S310 of FIG. 37. In step S310, the communicationcontrol program 542 of the car navigation system 112 sends a messageindicating that the user information and the car navigation system 112are correctly associated to the registration server 142.

In step S367, the registration server 142 receives a message indicatingthat the user information and the car navigation system 112 arecorrectly associated from the car navigation system 112. In step S368,the user-ID/password/period-restricted-password generating program 363of the registration server 142 generates a user ID and a password. Instep S369, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends the device ID received in step S365, the user ID andpassword generated in step S368 to the database server 144, and alsorequests the database server 144 to store the user information sent instep S362, the device ID, the user ID, and the password so that they canbe associated with each other.

In step S386, the database server 144 receives the user ID and passwordfrom the registration server 142, and also receives a request to storethe user information received in step S384, the device ID, the user ID,and the password so that they can be associated with each other.

In step S387, the storage control program 404 of the database server 144stores the user information that has already been stored in step S385,the device ID, the user ID, and the password received in step S386 sothat they can be associated with each other, and the communicationcontrol program 402 sends the registration server 142 a messageindicating that the user information, the device ID, the user ID, andthe password are stored so that they can be associated with each other.

In step S370, the registration server 142 receives from the databaseserver 144 a message indicating that the user information, the deviceID, the user ID, and the password are stored so that they can beassociated with each other.

In step S371, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends a message indicating that registration for the carnavigation system 112 has been completed to the car navigation system112, and sends the user ID and password generated in step S368 to thecar navigation system 112.

In step S311, the car navigation system 112 receives a messageindicating that registration for the car navigation system 112 has beencompleted from the registration server 142, and also receives the userID and password. In step S312, the display control program 544 of thecar navigation system 112 provides information indicating thatregistration for the car navigation system 112 has been completed, anddisplays a message for instructing the user to write down the user IDand password on the display unit 271.

The user writes down the user ID and password according to the message.Then, the display control program 544 of the car navigation system 112displays a message for instructing the user to obtain aperiod-restricted password on the display unit 271. When the user inputsthe user ID and password according to the message, in step S313, theoperation-input control program 546 of the car navigation system 112receives the input of the user ID and password.

In step S314, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends theuser ID and password to the connection authentication server 143, andalso requests the connection authentication server 143 to issue aperiod-restricted password.

In step S345, the connection authentication server 143 receives the userID and password from the car navigation system 112, and also receives arequest to issue a period-restricted password.

In step S346, the communication control program 382 of the connectionauthentication server 143 sends the user ID to the database server 144,and requests the database server 144 to send the password correspondingto the user ID.

In step S388, the database server 144 receives the user ID and alsoreceives a request to send the password corresponding to the user IDfrom the connection authentication server 143. In step S389, the datasearch program 405 of the database server 144 reads the passwordcorresponding to the user ID (password stored in correspondence with theuser ID in step S387). In step S390, the communication control program402 of the database server 144 sends the password read in step S389 tothe connection authentication server 143.

In step S347, the connection authentication server 143 receives thepassword from the database server 144. In step S348, the authenticationprogram 384 of the connection authentication server 143 checks whetherthe password received from the car navigation system 112 in step S345 isthe same as the password received from the database server 144 in stepS347 so as to determine whether the password is an authorized password.If the password received from the car navigation system 112 in step S345is the same as the password received from the database server 144 instep S347, the process proceeds to step S349. In step S349, thecommunication control program 402 of the connection authenticationserver 143 requests the registration server 142 to issue aperiod-restricted password.

In step S372, the registration server 142 receives a request to issue aperiod-restricted password from the connection authentication server143. In step S373, the user-ID/password/period-restricted-passwordgenerating program 363 of the registration server 142 generates aperiod-restricted password. In step S374, the communication controlprogram 362 of the registration server 142 sends the period-restrictedpassword generated in step S373 to the database server 144, and alsorequests the database server 144 to store the period-restricted passwordand the device ID so that they can be associated with each other.

In step S391, the database server 144 receives the period-restrictedpassword from the registration server, and also receives a request tostore the period-restricted password and the device ID so that they canbe associated with each other. Then, in step S392, the storage controlprogram 404 of the database server 144 stores the period-restrictedpassword received in step S391 and the device ID so that they can beassociated with each other.

The period-restricted password has an effective period, and when theeffective period has passed, the period-restricted password can nolonger be used. Then, in step S392, the storage control program 404 ofthe database server 144 stores, together with the period-restrictedpassword, the time and date at the end of the effective period of theperiod-restricted password. The time and date at the end of theeffective period of the period-restricted password can be set to, forexample, one month after the date on which the period-restrictedpassword is stored. Although in this embodiment the period-restrictedpassword is employed, a password without an effective period may beused. That is, when the CE device 132 is manufactured in the CE devicemanufacturer 103, a password without an effective period may be embeddedinto the CE device 132.

In step S375, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends the period-restricted password generated in step S373to the connection authentication server 143.

In step S350, the connection authentication server 143 receives theperiod-restricted password from the registration server 142. In stepS351, the communication control program 382 of the connectionauthentication server 143 sends the period-restricted password receivedin step S350 to the car navigation system 112.

In step S315, the car navigation system 112 receives theperiod-restricted password from the connection authentication server143. In step S316, the storage control program 547 of the car navigationsystem 112 stores the period-restricted password received in step S315in the storage unit 272.

Registration processing for the car navigation system 112 has beencompleted as described above.

A description is now given, with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 43through 51, of authentication processing before the car navigationsystem 112 is connected to the Internet 1 to receive services from theservice providing server 145.

In step S451 of FIG. 43, the car navigation system 112 receives arequest to connect to the service providing server 145 from the user. Instep S452, the communication control program 542 of the car navigationsystem 112 sends a request to connect to the Internet 1 to the accessserver 141.

In step S481, the access server 141 receives a request to connect to theInternet 1 from the car navigation system 112. In step S482, thecommunication control program 342 of the access server 141 sends anauthentication request to the car navigation system 112.

In step S453, the car navigation system 112 receives an authenticationrequest from the access server 141. In step S454, the storage controlprogram 547 of the car navigation system 112 reads the device ID and theperiod-restricted password from the storage unit 272. In step S455, thecommunication control program 542 of the car navigation system 112 sendsthe device ID and the period-restricted password read in step S454 tothe access server 141.

In step S483, the access server 141 receives the device ID and theperiod-restricted password from the car navigation system 112. In stepS484, the communication control program 342 of the access server 141sends the device ID received in step S483 to the database server 144,and also requests the database server 144 to send the period-restrictedpassword corresponding to the device ID.

In step S561 of FIG. 49, the database server 144 receives the device IDfrom the access server 141, and also receives a request to send theperiod-restricted password corresponding to the device ID. In step S562,the data search program 405 of the database server 144 reads theperiod-restricted password corresponding to the device ID. When storingthe period-restricted password in the database (step S392), the time anddate of the effective period is also stored. Accordingly, in step S563,the data search program 405 reads the time and date of the effectiveperiod together with the period-restricted password, and checks whetherthe period-restricted password has expired. If it is found that theperiod-restricted password has not expired, the process proceeds to stepS564. In step S564, the communication control program 402 of thedatabase server 144 sends the period-restricted password read in stepS562 to the access server 141.

If it is found in step S485 that the access server 141 has received theperiod-restricted password from the database server 144, the processproceeds to step S486. In step S486, the authentication program 344 ofthe access server 141 determines whether the period-restricted passwordreceived from the car navigation system 112 in step S483 is the same asthe period-restricted password received from the database server 144 instep S485. If it is found that the period-restricted password receivedfrom the car navigation system 112 in step S483 is the same as theperiod-restricted password received from the database server 144 in stepS485, the process proceeds to step S487. In step S487, the communicationcontrol program 342 of the access server 141 sends a permission toconnect to the Internet 1 to the car navigation system 112.

If it is found in step S456 that the car navigation system 112 hasreceived a permission to connect to the Internet 1 from the accessserver 141, the process proceeds to step S457. In step S457, the browser543 of the car navigation system 112 sends a request to connect to theservice providing server 153 to the web authentication proxy server 146.

In step S501 of FIG. 46, the web authentication proxy server 146receives a request to connect to the service providing server 145 fromthe car navigation system 112.

In step S502, the communication control program 442 of the webauthentication proxy server 146 sends an authentication request to thecar navigation system 112.

In step S458, the car navigation system 112 receives an authenticationrequest from the web authentication proxy server 146. In step S459, thestorage control program 547 of the car navigation system 112 reads thedevice ID and the period-restricted password from the storage unit 272.In step S460, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends thedevice ID and the period-restricted password read by the storage controlprogram 547 in step S459 to the web authentication proxy server 146.

In step S503, the web authentication proxy server 146 receives thedevice ID and the period-restricted password from the car navigationsystem 112. In step S504, the communication control program 442 of theweb authentication proxy server 146 sends the device ID to the databaseserver 144, and also requests the database server 144 to send theperiod-restricted password corresponding to the device ID.

In step S565, the database server 144 receives the device ID from theweb authentication proxy server 146, and also receives a request to sendthe period-restricted password corresponding to the device ID. In stepS566, the data search program 405 of the database server 144 reads theperiod-restricted password corresponding to the device ID. In step S567,the communication control program 402 of the database server 144 sendsthe period-restricted password read in step S566 to the webauthentication proxy server 146.

In step S505, the web authentication proxy server 146 receives theperiod-restricted password from the database server 144. In step S506,the authentication program 443 of the web authentication proxy server146 determines whether the period-restricted password received from thecar navigation system 112 in step S503 is the same as theperiod-restricted password received from the database server 144 in stepS505. If it is found that the period-restricted password received fromthe car navigation system 112 is the same as the period-restrictedpassword received from the database server 144, the process proceeds tostep S507. In step S507, the communication control program 442 of theweb authentication proxy server 146 sends a permission to connect to theservice providing server 145 to the car navigation system 112.

In step S461, the car navigation system 112 receives a permission toconnect to the service providing server 145 from the web authenticationproxy server 146. In step S462, the browser 543 of the car navigationsystem 112 accesses the service providing server 145.

In step S591 of FIG. 51, the service providing server 145 receivesaccess from the car navigation system 112. In step S592, the serviceproviding program 423 of the service providing server 145 provides thepredetermined services possessed by the service providing server 145 tothe car navigation system 112.

In step S463, the car navigation system 112 receives the predeterminedservices from the service providing server 145.

As described above, the car navigation system 112 is permitted toconnect to the Internet 1 and to the service providing server 145, andreceives services. If, however, the database server 144 determines instep S563 that the effective period of the period-restricted passwordhas already passed, the process proceeds to step S568 of FIG. 50.

In step 568, the communication control program 402 of the databaseserver 144 sends a message indicating that the period-restrictedpassword has expired to the access server 141.

Then, in step S485, instead of receiving the period-restricted password,the access server 141 receives a message indicating that theperiod-restricted password has expired from the database server. Theprocess then proceeds to step S488 in which the communication controlprogram 342 of the access server 141 sends a message indicating thatauthentication for the car navigation system 112 has failed to the carnavigation system 112.

In this case, in step S456, instead of receiving an authenticationpermission, the car navigation system 112 receives a message indicatingthat authentication for the car navigation system 112 has failed. Theprocess then proceeds to step S464 of FIG. 44.

In step S464, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 requeststhe connection authentication server 143 to issue a period-restrictedpassword.

In step S521 of FIG. 47, the connection authentication server 143receives a request to issue a period-restricted password from the carnavigation system 112. In step S522, the communication control program382 of the connection authentication server 143 requests the carnavigation system 112 to send the user ID and password.

In step S465, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendthe user ID and password from the connection authentication server 143.In step S466, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a message for instructing the user to input the userID and password on the display unit 271. The operation-input controlprogram 546 receives the input of the user ID and password from theuser.

After receiving the input of the user ID and password from the user, instep S467, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends theuser ID and password input in step S466 to the connection authenticationserver 143.

In step S523, the connection authentication server 143 receives the userID and password from the car navigation system 112. In step S524, thecommunication control program 382 of the connection authenticationserver 143 sends the user ID to the database server 144, and requeststhe database server 144 to send the password corresponding to the userID.

In step S569, the database server 144 receives the user ID from theconnection authentication server 143, and also receives a request tosend the password corresponding to the user ID. In step S570, the datasearch program 405 of the database server 144 reads the passwordcorresponding to the user ID. In step S571, the communication controlprogram 402 of the database server 144 sends the password read in stepS570 to the connection authentication server 143.

In step S525, the connection authentication server 143 receives thepassword from the database server 144. In step S526, the authenticationprogram 384 of the connection authentication server 143 checks whetherthe password received from the car navigation system 112 in step S523 isthe same as the password received from the database server 144 in stepS525 so as to determine whether the password is an authorized password.If it is found that the password received from the car navigation system112 in step S523 is the same as the password received from the databaseserver 144 in step S525, the process proceeds to step S527. In stepS527, the connection authentication server 143 requests the registrationserver 142 to issue a period-restricted password.

In step S541 of FIG. 48, the registration server 142 receives a requestto issue a period-restricted password from the connection authenticationserver 143. In step S542, theuser-ID/password/period-restricted-password generating program 362 ofthe registration server 142 generates a period-restricted password. Instep S543, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends the period-restricted password generated in step S542to the database server 144, and also requests the database server 144 tostore the period-restricted password and the device ID so that they canbe associated with each other.

In step S572, the database server 144 receives the period-restrictedpassword from the registration server, and also receives a request tostore the period-restricted password and the device ID so that they canbe associated with each other. Then, in step S573, the storage controlprogram 404 of the database server 144 stores the period-restrictedpassword received in step S572 and the device ID so that they can beassociated with each other. When storing the period-restricted password,the storage control program 404 of the database server 144 stores,together with the period-restricted password, the time and date at theend of the effective period of the period-restricted password. The timeand date at the end of the effective period can be set to, for example,one month after.

In step S544, the communication control program 362 of the registrationserver 142 sends the period-restricted password generated in step S542to the connection authentication server 143.

In step S528, the connection authentication server 143 receives theperiod-restricted password from the registration server 142. In stepS529, the communication control program 382 of the connectionauthentication server 143 sends the period-restricted password receivedin step S528 to the car navigation system 112.

In step S468, the car navigation system 112 receives theperiod-restricted password from the connection authentication server143. In step S469, the storage control program 547 of the car navigationsystem 112 stores the period-restricted password received in step S468in the storage unit 272.

Subsequently, the process of the car navigation system 112 returns tostep S452 of FIG. 43, and repeats the processing of step S452 and thesubsequent steps.

In the CE device 132 provided with an input interface for receiving theinput of operations by the user, for example, in the car navigationsystem 112, user registration for the CE device 132 and authenticationfor connecting to the Internet 1 and to the service providing server 145are performed as described above.

By conducting authentication for the CE device 132 as described above,IDs and passwords input by a user can be integrated into one ID and onepassword. That is, when the CE device 132 is not provided with an inputinterface for receiving the input of operations by a user, as shown inFIG. 52 in comparison with FIG. 1, authentication processing of theaccess server 3 and the web authentication proxy server 4 can beperformed by using a single device ID and calculated value (hash value)651. The device ID and calculated value (hash value) 651 is stored inthe CE device 132, and thus, the user is able to connect the CE device132 to the Internet 1 and to the service providing server 145 withoutthe need to memorize or write down the ID and password.

When the CE device 132 has an interface for receiving the input ofoperations by a user, the user is able to connect the CE device 132 tothe Internet 1 and to the service providing server 145 by memorizing orwriting down the single user ID and password. When the CE device 132 hasan input interface for receiving the input of operations, the user isable to perform user registration for the CE device 132 without the needto use the setting terminal device 109. Even if the CE device 132 has aninput interface for receiving the input of operations, user registrationfor the CE device 132 and authentication processing of the access server3 and the web authentication proxy server 4 may be performed accordingto a method similar to the method for the CE device 132 without an inputinterface.

In the above description, the setting terminal device 109 is a personalcomputer owned by the user. However, the setting terminal device 109 isnot restricted to a personal computer, and may be a PDA, a cellulartelephone, or a dedicated multimedia kiosk terminal. The settingterminal device 109 may be installed in a store that sells the CEdevices 132.

In the above description, the access server 141, the registration server142, the connection authentication server 143, the database server 144,the service providing server 145, and the web authentication proxyserver 146 are installed in the single ISP 107-1. However, these serversdo not have to be installed in a single ISP 107. For example, as shownin FIG. 53, an authentication center 661 may be provided, and thedatabase server 144 may be disposed in the authentication center 661.

In FIG. 53, the database server 144 is installed in the authenticationcenter 661. As indicated at the bottom of FIG. 53 sequentially from theright, ISP A and service site A, service site B, and ISP C areindependent entities. Within the ISP A and service site A, the serviceproviding server 102, the access server 141, the registration server142, the connection authentication server 143, and the webauthentication proxy server 146 are installed. The service providingserver 102 performs processing in a manner similar to the serviceproviding server 145.

In service site B, the service providing server 102 and the webauthentication proxy server 146 are installed. In ISP C, the accessserver 141 and the connection authentication server 143 are installed.In this manner, in the database server 144 of the authentication center661, user information, user IDs, passwords, period-restricted passwords,device IDs of CE devices, and passphrases may be stored and managed.Then, the access server 141, the connection authentication server 143,and the web authentication proxy server 146 of the ISP A and servicesite A, the web authentication proxy server 146 of the service site B,and the access server 141 and the connection authentication server 143of the ISP C may access the database server 144 of the authenticationcenter 661 when conducting user registration or authentication for theCE device 132. In this case, operations performed by the access server141, the registration server 142, the connection authentication server143, the database server 144, the web authentication proxy server 146,and the service providing server 102 are similar to the above-describedoperations described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 26through 51.

According to the arrangement shown in FIG. 53, a plurality of ISPs 107and a plurality of service providing servers 102 can be managed with thesingle database server 144.

Instead of separately providing the web authentication proxy server 146and the service providing server 145, a web authentication proxy agent671 may be disposed, as shown in FIG. 54, within a service providingserver 145-2. The web authentication proxy agent 671 is a program forexecuting processing similar to the processing of the web authenticationproxy server 146. That is, as shown in FIG. 54, the access server 141,the registration server 142, the connection authentication server 143,the database server 144, a service providing server 145-1, the serviceproviding server 145-2, and the web authentication proxy server 146 aredisposed within the ISP 107-1. When receiving services from the serviceproviding server 145-1, the CE device 132 first accesses the accessserver 141 to obtain a permission to connect to a network. The CE device132 then accesses the web authentication proxy server 146 to obtain anauthentication for connecting to the service providing server 145-1.Subsequently, the CE device 132 receives services from the serviceproviding server 145-1.

In contrast, when receiving services from the service providing server145-2, the CE device 132 first accesses the access server 141 to obtaina permission to connect to a network. The CE device 132 then accessesthe service providing server 145-2 to obtain an authentication forreceiving services from the web authentication proxy agent 671 withinthe service providing server 145-2. Subsequently, the CE device 132receives services from the service providing server 145-2.

By providing the web authentication proxy agent 671 within the serviceproviding server 145-2, it is not necessary to separately provide theweb authentication proxy server 146, thereby making it possible toconstruct a system with a reduced cost.

If the user has purchased the CE device 132 and already performed userregistration in the service providing server 102 before performing theregistration processing indicated by the flowcharts of FIGS. 27 through30 or the flowcharts of FIGS. 36 through 42, the ID and passwordregistered in the service providing server 102 can be changed into thecommon user ID and password of the CE device 132. A detailed descriptionis given below, with reference to FIGS. 55 through 63, of the processingfor changing the ID and password registered in the service providingserver 102 into the common user ID and password of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 55, service providing servers A through F are servers in whichthe user who purchased the CE device 132 has already performed userregistration before registering the CE device 132 in the ISP 107-1. Theuser receives services from the service providing servers A through F byusing, for example, a personal computer owned by the user, by suitablyselecting the ID (hereinafter referred to as “ID-A”) and password(hereinafter referred to as “password A”) issued from the serviceproviding server A, the ID (hereinafter referred to as “ID-B”) andpassword (hereinafter referred to as “password B”) issued from theservice providing server B, the ID (hereinafter referred to as “ID-C”)and password (hereinafter referred to as “password C”) issued from theservice providing server C, the ID (hereinafter referred to as “ID-D”)and password (hereinafter referred to as “password D”) issued from theservice providing server D, the ID (hereinafter referred to as “ID-E”)and password-(hereinafter referred to as “password E”) issued from theservice providing server E, and the ID (hereinafter referred to as“ID-F”) and password (hereinafter referred to as “password F”) issuedfrom the service providing server F. When the user conducts userregistration for the CE device 132 in the ISP 107-1, an issuance of auser ID (hereinafter also referred to as a “representative ID”) andpassword (hereinafter also referred to as a “representative password”)is received (for example, step S312 of FIG. 37).

In this case, a contract has been made between the entities that managethe service providing servers A, B, and F and the entity that managesthe ISP 107-1. By receiving an authentication from the ISP 107-1 byusing the representative ID and the representative password, the user isable to receive services from the service providing servers A, B, and F.

In this case, the following procedure can be taken for changing the ID-Aand password A used for receiving services from the service providingserver A by the user into the representative ID and the representativepassword.

For example, an “additional button” (not shown) is displayed on thebrowser of the CE device 132, and upon pressing this additional button,the screen shown in FIG. 56 is displayed on the display unit of the CEdevice 132. In FIG. 56, a message “Adding new service to SSO. Pleaseinput user ID and password.” is displayed at the upper side of thescreen, and under this message, a column for inputting therepresentative ID (user ID) and a column for inputting therepresentative password are displayed. When the “next” button displayedat the bottom of the screen is pressed after receiving the input of therepresentative ID and the representative password into therepresentative-ID input column and the representative-password inputcolumn, respectively, the screen shown in FIG. 57 is displayed on thedisplay unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 57, a message “SSO service list” is displayed at the upper sideof the screen, and under this message, a list of services that can beused by the representative ID and the representative password isdisplayed. That is, in FIG. 57, service A provided by the serviceproviding server A, service B provided by the service providing serverB, and service F provided by the service providing server F aredisplayed. When the operation for selecting the service A is input bythe user, the screen shown in FIG. 58 is displayed on the display unitof the CE device 132.

In FIG. 58, a message “Registering service A in SSO. Please input ID andpassword of service A.” is displayed at the upper side of the screen.Under this message, input columns for inputting the ID and password usedfor authenticating the user by the service providing server A aredisplayed. After inputting ID-A into the ID input column and password Ainto the password input column, the user presses an OK button displayedat the bottom of the screen, and then, the screen shown in FIG. 59 isdisplayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 59, a message “Service A can be used in SSO with user IDSUZUKI.” is displayed. FIG. 59 illustrates an example in which the userID (representative ID) is “SUZUKI”.

As a result of the above-described processing, ID-A and password A arestored in the database server 144 within the ISP 107-1 so that they canbe associated with the representative ID and the representativepassword.

According to the above-described processing, the user is able to receiveservices from the service providing server A without the need to inputthe ID or password.

More specifically, when the user inputs an instruction to receiveservices into the CE device 132, the screen shown in FIG. 60 isdisplayed on the display unit 132. In FIG. 60, a message “Please inputuser ID and password.” is displayed. Under this message, an input columnfor the representative ID and an input column for the representativepassword are displayed.

After inputting the representative ID into the representative-ID inputcolumn and the representative password into the representative-passwordinput column, the user presses the “next” button at the bottom of thescreen. Then, in step S621 of FIG. 61, the representative ID and therepresentative password are sent to the access server 141 of the ISP107-1 from the CE device 132. The access server 141 authenticates the CEdevice 132 by using the received representative ID and therepresentative password, and in step S622, the access server 141 sends alist of services that can be received by the user to the CE device 132.Upon receiving a list of services that can be received by the user, theCE device 132 displays the screen shown in FIG. 62 on the display unit.

In FIG. 62, “SSO service list for Mr Taro Suzuki” is displayed at theupper side of the screen, and a list of services that can be received bythe user, i.e., service A and service B, are displayed. In FIG. 62, itis assumed that the name of the user is Taro Suzuki. FIG. 62 illustratesan example in which not only service A, but also service B has beenregistered according to the processing described with reference to FIGS.55 through 59.

When the user inputs the operation for selecting service A in FIG. 62,in step S623 of FIG. 61, the CE device 132 sends a message indicatingthat the user wishes to receive service A to the web authenticationproxy server 146 of the ISP 107-1. Upon receiving the message from theCE device 132, the web authentication proxy server 146 obtains the ID-Aand password A for the service providing server A, which are stored inassociation with the representative ID and the representative password,from the database server 144. Then, in step S624, the web authenticationproxy server 146 conducts authentication for the CE device 132 by usingthe ID-A and password A. In step S625, the service providing server Ainforms the CE device 132 that the user has been authenticated, andprovides services. The CE device 132 displays a message indicating thatauthentication for service A has been completed, such as that shown inFIG. 63, on the display unit and receives service A.

A service is registered in the ISP 107-1 as described above.

According to the registration processing for the refrigerator 113described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 27 through 30 andthe registration processing for the car navigation system 112 describedwith reference to FIGS. 36 through 42, registration must be made in eachCE device 132, and the users having many CE devices 132 must performregistration processing by the same number as the number of the CEdevices 132. The users also have to memorize and write down the user IDsand passwords having the same number as the number of the CE devices132.

A system that can overcome this drawback is described below.

FIG. 64 illustrates an overview of a system that allows the use of aplurality of CE devices 132 by only one user registration. In FIG. 64,the setting terminal device 109 is, for example, a general-purposepersonal computer owned by the user. When registering the CE device 132,the setting terminal device 109 receives the input of registrationinformation from the user, and sends it to the CE-device registrationsetting server 105. The registration information includes informationrequired for performing client registration for the CE device 132, userinformation, desired login ID used for logging in to the ISP 107,desired login password, information concerning the connection means forconnecting to the ISP 107, payment method, service courses of the ISP107, desired email address, email address, remainder and answers, userID and password issued when performing user registration for the CEdevice 132, device ID, passphrase, access licensing information ofconnection information, and information required for performing userregistration in the service providing server 102.

The registration information is not limited to the above-described itemsof information. That is, the registration information may include itemsother than the above-described items, or does not have to include allthe above-described items. The registration information may be formed ofdesired items as required.

The setting terminal device 109 receives connection information requiredfor connecting to a network from the CE-device registration settingserver 105, and stores it in the memory card 144. Upon receiving theregistration information from the setting terminal device 109, theCE-device registration setting server 105 stores the registrationinformation, generates connection information, and send it to thesetting terminal device 109. A CE device 132A and a CE device 132B canbe connected to a network by inserting the memory card 114 storing theconnection information therein into the CE devices 132A and 132B.

More specifically, in step S701 of FIG. 64, the setting terminal device109 receives the input of registration information from the user 611. Instep S702, the setting terminal device 109 sends the registrationinformation input in step S701 to the CE-device registration settingserver 105. The CE-device registration setting server 105 generatesconnection information based on the registration information, and instep S703, the CE-device registration setting server 105 sends theconnection information to the setting terminal device 109. Uponreceiving the connection information from the CE-device registrationsetting server 105, the setting terminal device 109 stores theconnection information in the inserted memory card 114.

In step S704, the user 611 removes the memory card 114 from the settingterminal device 109, and inserts it into the CE device 132A. In thisstate, the CE device 132A can read and use the connection informationstored in the memory card 114 so as to connect to a network. Then, ifthe user wishes to connect to a network by using the CE device 132B, instep S705, the user removes the memory card 114 from the CE device 132A,and inserts it into the CE device 132B. Then, the CE device 132B canread and use the connection information stored in the memory card 114 soas to connect to a network.

As described above, connection information is stored in the memory card114, and when connecting to a network, the CE device 132 uses theconnection information stored in the inserted memory card 14 to connectto a network. In this manner, the user can utilize the memory card 114storing the connection information therein for a plurality of CE devices132 so as to connect them to a network.

Two patterns for storing connection information in the memory card 114are now described with reference to FIGS. 65 and 66. One pattern isemployed when the user owns a device, for example, a personal computerthat can be used as the setting terminal device 109, which is describedbelow with reference to FIG. 65. In step S711 of FIG. 65, the settingterminal device 109 owned by the user 611 receives the input ofregistration information from the user 611. After receiving the input ofthe registration information from the user 611, in step S712, thesetting terminal device 109 sends the registration information input instep S711 to the CE-device registration setting server 105. Uponreceiving the registration information, in step S713, the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 sends the registration information tothe connection-setting database server 106, and also requests theconnection-setting database server 106 to search for the access point(access server) of the ISP 107 that can minimize the communication cost.

The connection-setting database server 106 determines the access point(access server) of the ISP 107 that can minimize the communication costby referring to the address and postal code of the user 611 contained inthe registration information received from the CE-device registrationsetting server 105 in step S713. Then, in step S714, theconnection-setting database server 106 sends the information concerningthe determined access point (access server) of the ISP 107 to theCE-device registration setting server 105. The CE-device registrationsetting server 105 generates connection information based on theinformation concerning the access point (access server) of the ISP 107received from the connection-setting database server 106, and in stepS715, the CE-device registration setting server 105 sends the connectioninformation to the setting terminal device 109.

The setting terminal device 109 stores the received connectioninformation in the memory card 114 via a memory card drive 701.

Then, in step S716, the user 611 removes the memory card 114 from thememory card drive 701, and inserts it into the CE device 132A. Accordingto the input of predetermined operations from the user 611, the CEdevice 132A reads the connection information stored in the insertedmemory card 114, and accesses the predetermined access point (forexample, the access server 141) based on the connection information soas to connect to a network, such as the Internet 1.

If the user 611 wishes to connect the CE device 132B to a network, theuser 611 removes the memory card 114 from the CE device 132A and insertsit into the CE device 132B so as to connect the CE device 132B to anetwork. In this case, in step S717, the memory card 114 is removed fromthe CE device 132A and is inserted into the CE device 132B. According tothe input of predetermined operations from the user 611, as in the CEdevice 132A, the CE device 132B reads the connection information storedin the memory card 114, and accesses the predetermined access point (forexample, the access server 141) based on the connection information soas to connect to a network, such as the Internet 1.

As described above with reference to FIG. 65, the user 611 conducts userregistration through the setting terminal device 109, such as a personalcomputer owned by the user 611. In this case, however, the user 611 mustown the setting terminal device 109, such as a personal computer.

If the user 611 does not own the setting terminal device 109, the user611 is able to perform registration processing by the method shown inFIG. 66. In FIG. 66, in step S721, the operation center 101 receivesregistration information from the user 611. The registration can be sentby means such as a predetermined web site, mail, a facsimile, or atelephone.

The setting terminal device 109 is not limited to a personal computer,and may be a PDA, a cellular telephone, or a dedicated multimedia kioskterminal. The setting terminal device 109 may be installed in a storethat sells the CE devices 132.

In step S722, the setting terminal device 121 installed in the operationcenter 101 receives the input of the registration information from anoperator 711. The operator 711 inputs the registration information sentfrom the user 611 into the setting terminal device 121. After receivingthe input of the registration information by the operator 711, in stepS723, the setting terminal device 121 sends the registration informationinput in step S722 to the CE-device registration setting server 105.Upon receiving the registration information, in step S724, the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 sends the registration information tothe connection-setting database server 106, and also requests theconnection-setting database server 106 to search for an access point(access server) of the ISP 107 that can minimize the communication cost.

The connection-setting database server 106 determines the access point(access server) that can minimize the communication cost by referring tothe address and postal code of the user 611 contained in theregistration information received from the CE-device registrationsetting server 105 in step S724. Then, in step S725, theconnection-setting database server 106 sends the information concerningthe determined access point (for example, the access server 141) of theISP 107 to the CE-device registration setting server 105. The CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 generates connection information basedon the information concerning the access point (for example, the accessserver 141) of the ISP 107 received from the connection-setting databaseserver 106, and in step S726, the CE-device registration setting server105 sends the connection information to the setting terminal device 109.

The setting terminal device 109 stores the received connectioninformation in the memory card 114 via the memory card drive 701. Instep S727, the memory card 114 storing the connection informationtherein is sent to the user 611 by mail.

Then, in step S728, the memory card 114 is inserted into the CE device132A by the user 611. According to the input of predetermined operationsby the user 611, the CE device 132A reads the connection informationstored in the inserted memory card 114, and accesses the predeterminedaccess point (for example, the access server 141) based on theconnection information so as to connect to a network, such as theInternet 1. If the user 611 wishes to connect the CE device 132B to anetwork, the user 611 removes the memory card 114 from the CE device132A and inserts it into the CE device 132B so as to connect the CEdevice 132B to a network. In this case, in step S729, the memory card114 is removed from the CE device 132A and is inserted into the CEdevice 132B. According to the input of predetermined operations by theuser 611, as in the CE device 132A, the CE device 132B reads theconnection information stored in the inserted memory card 114, andaccesses the predetermined access point (for example, the access server141) based on the connection information so as to connect to a network,such as the Internet 1.

As described above, in place of the user 611, by utilizing the settingterminal device 121 of the operation center 101, connection informationcan be stored in the memory card 114. The processing performed by thesetting terminal device 121 installed in the operation center 101 isbasically similar to that by the setting terminal device 109 owned bythe user 611.

The memory card 114 storing the connection information therein asdescribed above is inserted into a plurality of CE devices 132A through132D, as shown in FIG. 67, so as to connect the CE devices 132A through132D to the Internet 1. More specifically, in FIG. 67, the CE device132A is connected to the access point 141 via the public wireless LANbase station 115, and is then connected to the Internet 1. The CE device132B is connected to the access point 141 via the wireless base station116 of the cellular telephone line and the telephone line network 108,and is then connected to the Internet 1. The CE device 132C is connectedto the access point via the telephone line network 108 by dial-upconnection, and is then connected to the Internet 1. The CE device 132Dis connected to the access point 141 by LAN connection, and is thenconnected to the Internet 1.

For example, if the user who owns the four different CE devices 132Athrough 132D, such as those shown in FIG. 67, wishes to connect the CEdevices 132A through 132D to the Internet 1, in step S741, the userfirst inserts the memory card 114 storing connection information thereininto the CE device 132A. The user then connects the CE device 132A tothe Internet 1 by inputting predetermined operations into the CE device132A. Then, in step S742, the user removes the memory card 114 from theCE device 132A, and inserts it into the CE device 132B. The user thenconnects the CE device 132B to the Internet 1 by inputting predeterminedoperations into the CE device 132B.

Subsequently, in step S743, the user removes the memory card 114 fromthe CE device 132B, and inserts it into the CE device 132C. The userthen connects the CE device 132C to the Internet 1 by inputtingpredetermined operations into the CE device 132C. Then, in step S744,the user removes the memory card 114 from the CE device 132C, andinserts it into the CE device 132D. The user then connects the CE device132D to the Internet 1 by inputting predetermined operations into the CEdevice 132D.

In this manner, by utilizing the single memory card 114 for theplurality of CE devices 132A through 132D, the user is able to connectthe CE devices 132A through 132D to the Internet 1.

When the memory card 114 storing connection information therein isinserted into the CE device 132, the connection information can bestored in the CE device 132 according to the following two storagemodes. One storage mode is described below with reference to FIG. 68.When the memory card 114 is inserted into the CE device 132 in step S751of FIG. 68, the process proceeds to step S752. In step S752, the CEdevice 132 copies the connection information stored in the memory card114 into an internal RAM 721 of the CE device 132. In this state, whenan instruction to connect to the Internet 1 is given by the user, instep S753, the CE device 132 connects to the Internet 1 by using theconnection information stored in the internal RAM 721 in step S752.

In the mode in which the CE device 132 is connected to the Internet 1 byutilizing the connection information copied into the internal RAM 721from the memory card 114, once the connection information is copied intothe internal RAM 721 of the memory card 114, the CE device 132 is ableto connect to the Internet 1 as long as the connection information isstored in the internal RAM 721 even if the memory card 114 is removed.Accordingly, the user is able to connect a plurality of CE devices 132to the Internet 1 at one time by using the single memory card 114.

The other storage mode is described below with reference to FIG. 69. Instep S761 of FIG. 69, the user inserts the memory card 114 into the CEdevice 132. In this state, when an instruction to connect to theInternet 1 is given by the user, in step S762, the CE device 132 readsthe connection information from the memory card 114, and connects to theInternet 1.

In the mode in which connection information is read from the memory card114 every time an instruction to connect to the Internet is input, evenif the CE device 132 is stolen, it can be prevented from beingdishonestly used and from being connected to the Internet 1 as long asthe user possesses the memory card 114.

When the CE device 132 reads the connection information from the memorycard 114, the user may be required to input a predetermined password,and only when the input password is correct, the connection informationcan be read from the memory card 114. With this arrangement, even ifboth the CE device 132 and the memory card 144 are stolen, it ispossible to prevent a third party from connecting to the Internet 1through the CE device 132.

The connection information stored in the memory card 114 may be storedin association with the device ID of the CE device 132. In this case,only when the device ID of the CE device 132 having the memory card 114therein coincides with the device ID associated with the connectioninformation, the CE device 132 is allowed to connect to the Internet 1by using the connection information stored in the memory card 114.

The login ID and password required for connecting to the ISP 107, whichis part of the connection information, may be stored in the memory card114. Alternatively, the user may be requested to input the login ID andpassword required for connecting to the ISP 107 every time the userconnects to the Internet 1 rather than storing the login ID and passwordin the memory card 114. Alternatively, the login ID for connecting tothe ISP 107 may be stored in the memory card 114, and without storingthe password in the memory card 114, the user may be required to inputthe password every time the user connects to the Internet 1.

Instead of inputting the login ID and password by using the inputinterface of the CE device 132, they may be input according to adifferent method. For example, the password may be stored in a memorycard 114 different from the memory card 114 storing the connectioninformation therein, and only when the two memory cards 114 areprovided, the user is allowed to connect to the Internet 1 through theCE device 132. More specifically, for example, the memory card 114storing a password therein is inserted into the CE device 132, and afterreading the password by the CE device 132, the memory card 114 storingthe connection information therein is inserted into the CE device 132,thereby allowing the CE device 132 to connect to the Internet 1. Ofcourse, the memory card 114 storing the password therein may be insertedinto the CE device 132 after inserting the memory card 114 storing theconnection information to the CE device 132.

Means for identifying individuals, such as means for verifyingfingerprints, may be provided for the CE device 132, and only when theidentity of the user of the connection information is verified, the CEdevice 132 is allowed to connect to the ISP 107.

The login ID and password for receiving services from the serviceproviding server 102 (or service providing server 145) may be stored inthe memory card 114. Alternatively, instead of storing the login ID andpassword in the memory card 114, the user may be required to input thelogin ID and password for receiving services from the service providingserver 102 every time the user receives services from the serviceproviding server 102. Alternatively, the login ID may be stored in thememory card 114, and without storing the password in the memory card114, the user may be required to input the password every time the userreceives services from the service providing server 102.

As in the login ID and password for connecting to the ISP 107, insteadof inputting the login ID and password by using the input interface ofthe CE device 132, the login ID and password for receiving services fromthe service providing server 102 (or service providing server 145) maybe input according to a different method. For example, the password maybe stored in a memory card 114 different from the memory card 114storing the connection information therein, and only when the two memorycards 114 are provided, the user is allowed to connect to the Internet 1through the CE device 132.

Means for identifying individuals, such as means for verifyingfingerprints, may be provided for the CE device 132, and only when theidentity of the user of the connection information is verified, the CEdevice 132 is allowed to connect to the service providing server 102.

A description is now given, with reference to FIGS. 70 through 76, ofexamples of screens displayed on the display unit of the settingterminal device 109 from when user registration is performed through thesetting terminal device 109 to when connection information is stored inthe memory card 114.

When an instruction to conduct user registration is given by the user,the setting terminal device 109 displays a screen, such as that shown inFIG. 70, on the display unit. In FIG. 70, a message “Is R/W drive formemory card connected?” is shown at the upper side of the screen. At thelower side of the screen, selection buttons, i.e., “YES” and “NO”, areshown. When the memory card drive 701 is not connected to the settingterminal device 109, the user selects “NO”. Then, on the display unit ofthe setting terminal device 109, a message “User registration issuspended. Connect R/W drive for memory card, and then, restart userregistration.” is displayed.

When the memory card drive 701 is connected to the setting terminaldevice 109, the user selects “YES”. Then, on the display unit of thesetting terminal device 109, a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 71, isdisplayed.

In FIG. 71, a message “Please set memory card in R/W drive.” is shown atthe upper side of the screen, and selection buttons, such as “OK” and“CANCEL”, are shown at the lower side of the screen. If the user wishesto cancel user registration, the user selects “CANCEL” to cancel userregistration. If the user wishes to continue user registration, the userinserts the memory card 114 into the memory card drive 701 and selects“OK”. Then, a confirmation screen, such as that shown in FIG. 72, isdisplayed on the display unit of the setting terminal device 109.

In FIG. 72, a message “Connecting to network.” is shown at the upperside of the screen, and selection buttons, i.e., “OK” and “CANCEL”, areshown at the lower side of the screen. If the user wishes to cancel userregistration, the user selects “CANCEL” to cancel user registration. Ifthe user wishes to continue user registration, the user selects “OK”.Then, a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 73, is displayed on thedisplay unit of the setting terminal device 109.

In FIG. 73, a message “Please input required items.” is shown at theupper side of the screen, and “Name:” and an input column 751 forfilling the user name is shown immediately under the above message,followed by “Name (phonetic symbols):” and an input column 752 forfilling the phonetic symbols of the user name. Other input columns forrequired items are shown although they are omitted by “ . . . ” in FIG.73. At the bottommost portion of the screen in FIG. 73, selectionbuttons, i.e., “CHECK” and “CANCEL”, are shown. If the user wishes tocancel user registration, the user selects “CANCEL” to cancel userregistration. If the user wishes to continue user registration, the userselects “CHECK” after inputting all the required items in the columns.Then, a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 74, is displayed on thedisplay unit of the setting terminal device 109.

In FIG. 74, a message “Please check input information.” is shown at theupper side of the screen, and immediately under this message, the “Name:xxxxxxxx” (in reality, the name input into the column 751 of FIG. 73 isdisplayed) is shown, followed by “Name (phonetic symbols): xxxxxxxx” (inreality, the phonetic symbols input into the column 751 of FIG. 73 isdisplayed). The required items input in FIG. 73 are shown though theyare omitted by “ . . . ” in FIG. 74. At the bottommost portion of FIG.74, selection buttons, i.e., “SEND” and “CANCEL”, are shown. If there isan error in the displayed information, the user selects “CANCEL” tocancel registration. If there is no error in the displayed information,the user selects “SEND”. Then, a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 75,is displayed on the display unit of the setting terminal device 109.

In FIG. 75, a message “Downloading the following connection informationand storing it in memory card.” is indicated at the upper side of thescreen, and immediately under this message, “AP telephone No.: xxxxxxxx”(in reality, the telephone No. of the access point is shown in“xxxxxxxx”) is indicated. Under the AP telephone No., “SMTP: xxxxxxxx”(in reality, the address of the SMTP server is indicated in “xxxxxxxx”)is shown, followed by “POP: xxxxxxxx” (in reality, the address of thePOP server is indicated in “xxxxxxxx”). Other items of connectioninformation are indicated though they are omitted by “ . . . ” in FIG.75. At the bottommost portion of FIG. 75, selection buttons, such as“OK” and “CANCEL”, are shown. If the user wishes to cancel userregistration, the user selects “CANCEL” to cancel user registration. Ifthe user wishes to perform user registration with the connectioninformation displayed in FIG. 75, the user selects “OK”. Then, a screen,such as that shown in FIG. 76, is displayed on the display unit of thesetting terminal device 109.

In FIG. 76, a message “Connection information is stored in memory card.”is displayed on the upper side of the screen, and a selection button,i.e., “OK”, is indicated under this message. After checking that theconnection information is stored in the memory card 114, the userselects “OK”. Accordingly, the above-described screens are displayed onthe display unit of the setting terminal device 109 before theconnection information is stored in the memory card 114.

Processing for setting the memory card 114 before connection informationis stored in the memory card 114 is described below with reference tothe flowcharts of FIGS. 77 through 79.

In step S801 of FIG. 77, the setting terminal device 109 receives fromthe user the input of an instruction to conduct user registration forconnecting to a network. In step S802, the display control program 325of the setting terminal device 109 displays the screen shown in FIG. 70on the display unit. When “YES” is selected in FIG. 70, the displaycontrol program 325 displays the screen shown in FIG. 71 on the displayunit. When “OK” is selected in FIG. 71, the display control program 325of the setting terminal device 109 displays the screen shown in FIG. 72on the display unit. When “OK” is selected in FIG. 72, the processproceeds to step S803.

In step S803, the browser 323 of the setting terminal device 109requests the CE-device registration setting server 105 to performnetwork connection settings.

In step S821 of FIG. 78, the CE-device registration setting server 105receives a request to perform network connection settings from thesetting terminal device 109.

In step S822, the communication control program 462 of the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 sends a network connection settingscreen to the setting terminal device 109.

In step S804, the setting terminal device 109 receives the networkconnection setting screen from the CE-device registration setting server105. In step S805, the display control program 325 of the settingterminal device 109 displays the screen shown in FIG. 73 on the displayunit of the setting terminal device 109. When all the required items areinput into the input columns in FIG. 73 to select “CHECK”, the displaycontrol program 325 of the setting terminal device 109 displays thescreen shown in FIG. 74 on the display unit of the setting terminaldevice 109. When the user selects “SEND” after checking the displayshown in FIG. 74, the process proceeds to step S806. In step S806, thebrowser 323 of the setting terminal device 109 sends the registrationinformation input in step S805 to the CE-device registration settingserver 105.

In step S823, the CE-device registration setting server 105 receives theregistration information from the setting terminal device 109. In stepS824, the storage control program 465 of the CE-device registrationsetting server 105 checks whether there is no insufficiencies or errorsin the registration information received in step S823. If it isdetermined that there is no insufficiencies or errors, in step S825, thestorage control program 465 stores the registration information in thestorage unit.

In step S826, the login-ID/password generating program 464 of theCE-device registration setting server 105 generates a login ID and apassword. In step S827, the communication control program 462 of theCE-device registration setting server 105 sends the registrationinformation to the connection-setting database server 106, and alsorequests the connection-setting database server 106 to search for theconnecting access point.

In step S841 of FIG. 79, the connection-setting database server 106receives the registration information and a request to search for theconnecting access point from the CE-device registration setting server105.

In step S842, the storage control program 484 of the connection-settingdatabase server 106 stores the registration information received in stepS841 in the storage unit, and also, the data search program 485 searchesfor the access point of the ISP 107 that can minimize the communicationcost by referring to the address and postal code of the user containedin the registration information. When the access point is determined,the process proceeds to step S843 in which the communication controlprogram 482 of the connection-setting database server 106 sendsinformation concerning the access point determined as a result of thesearch in step S842 to the CE-device registration setting server 105.

In step S828, the CE-device registration setting server 105 receivesinformation concerning the access point from the connection-settingdatabase server 106. In step S829, the connection-information generatingprogram 463 of the CE-device registration setting server 105 generatesconnection information based on the information concerning the accesspoint received in step S828.

In step S830, the communication control program 462 of the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 sends the connection informationgenerated in step S829 to the setting terminal device 109.

In step S807, the setting terminal device 109 receives the connectioninformation from the CE-device registration setting server 105. In stepS808, the drive control program 326 of the setting terminal device 109stores the connection information received in step S807 in the memorycard 114. The display control program 325 of the setting terminal device109 displays the screen shown in FIG. 76 on the display unit.

The connection information is stored in the memory card 114 as describedabove.

In the memory card 114, connection information for one user can bestored. In this case, only the user who has stored the connectioninformation in the memory card 114 can carry the memory card 114,thereby reducing the possibility another user utilizing the connectioninformation.

In the single memory card 114, connection information for a plurality ofusers can be stored. In this case, a unique password is assigned to eachuser, and when connecting to the Internet 1 through the CE device 132,the user is requested to input the password. Only when the passwordinput by the user is correct, the CE device 132 is allowed to connect tothe Internet 1. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent anotheruser from utilizing the connection information. Alternatively,authentication means for authenticating individuals, such as means forverifying fingerprints, may be provided for the CE device 132, and onlywhen the user is verified as an authorized user by the authenticationmeans, the connection information of the corresponding user stored inthe memory card 114 may be read.

A description is now given, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 80,of processing for connecting the car navigation system 112 to theInternet 1 by using the memory card 114 storing connection informationtherein as described above.

In step S861, the operation-input control program 546 of the carnavigation system 112 determines whether an instruction to connect tothe Internet 1 is input. When an instruction to connect to the Internet1 is input, the process proceeds to step S862.

In step S862, the operating system 541 of the car navigation system 112determines whether the memory card 114 is loaded in the drive 274. Ifthe memory card 114 is not loaded in the drive 274, the process proceedsto step S863. In step S863, the display control program 544 displays amessage indicating that the memory card 114 is not loaded in the drive274 on the display unit 271.

If the operating system 541 of the car navigation system 112 determinesin step S862 that the memory card 114 is loaded in the drive 274, theprocess proceeds to step S864. In step S864, the browser 543 of the carnavigation system 112 accesses a predetermined access point (forexample, the access server 141) based on the connection informationstored in the memory card 114 so as to connect to the Internet 1.

In step S865, the operation-input control program 546 of the carnavigation system 112 determines whether an instruction to disconnectfrom the Internet 1 is input. If an instruction to disconnect from theInternet 1 is input, the process proceeds to step S866.

In step S866, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112disconnects the car navigation system 112 from the Internet 1.

According to the above-described processing, the CE device 132 connectsto the Internet 1 based on the connection information stored in thememory card 114. As stated above, by connecting the CE device 132 to theInternet 1 by using the memory card 114 storing the connectioninformation, the user does not have to input registration informationfor each CE device 132, thereby enhancing the ease of use. The memorycard 114 can be small and is not cumbersome so that the user is able toeasily carry the memory card 114. Thus, the user does not have to carryhis/her own CE device 132, and instead, the user is able to connect tothe Internet 1 to obtain information by utilizing the CE device 132available for the user.

Since it is not necessary to input connection information into the CEdevice 132 every time the user connects the CE device 132 to theInternet 1, the input interface of the CE device 132 can be miniaturizedor eliminated.

Additionally, the user is able to set a memory card by himself/herselfas long as the user owns the setting terminal device 109, for example, apersonal computer, and thus, the user does not have to visit a specialagent for setting the memory card 114.

In the above description, the CE device 132 is provided with a functionfor performing connection settings by reading connection informationfrom the memory card 114. The function for performing connectionsettings by reading connection information from the memory card 114 maybe integrated into the CE device 132 when being manufactured.Alternatively, a program for reading connection information from thememory card 114 to perform connection settings may be recorded in thememory card 114 together with the connection information, and then, whenthe memory card 114 is inserted into the memory card drive of the CEdevice 132, the CE device 132 may start the program recorded in thememory card 114 to perform connection settings. When updating theprogram for reading the connection information from the memory card 114to perform connection settings, the program may be sent to the CE device132 by using a communication network and is installed into the CE device132.

By recording a program for reading connection information from thememory card 114 to perform connection settings in the memory card 114together with the connection information, the CE device 132 without afunction for reading the connection information from the memory card 114to perform connection settings is able to perform connection settings.In this case, the program for performing connection settings is sent tothe setting terminal device 109 together with the connection informationfrom the CE-device registration setting server 105, and is recorded inthe memory card 114 by the setting terminal device 109.

More specifically, for example, the CE-device registration settingserver 105 prestores the program for performing the connection settingsby the CE device 132, and when sending the connection information to thesetting terminal device 109 in step S830 of FIG. 78, the CE-deviceregistration setting server 105 sends the program for performing theconnection settings by the CE device 132 together with the connectioninformation. The setting terminal device 109 receives the program forperforming connection settings by the CE device 132 together with theconnection information from the CE-device registration setting server105 in step S807 of FIG. 77. Then, in step S808, the setting terminaldevice 109 stores the connection information and the program forperforming connection settings by the CE device 132 received in stepS807 in the memory card 114. Thus, when the memory card 114 recordingthe connection information and the program for performing connectionsettings by the CE device 132 therein is inserted into the CE device132, the CE device 132 reads the program for performing connectionsettings from the memory card 114, and executes the program. That is,the CE device 132 connects to a network based on the connectioninformation recorded in the memory card (for example, step S864 of FIG.80).

The memory card 114 is used for storing connection information thereinby way of example. However, the medium storing connection information isnot restricted to the memory card 114. For example, connectioninformation may be stored in an IC card. In this case, instead of thememory drive 701, an IC card reader/writer for reading and storingconnection information from and in an IC card is installed in thesetting terminal 109(121). An IC card reader for reading connectioninformation from an IC card is provided for the CE device 132.

In the above description, when generating connection information, theaccess point that can minimize the communication cost is selected.However, in the present invention, it is not essential that the accesspoint be selected under the condition of the communication cost. Forexample, the access point that achieves the fastest communication speedby wireless communication, or the access point that allows loads to bedistributed may be selected. The access point may be selected under acondition other than the above-described conditions. Alternatively, theaccess point may be selected by more than one condition, for example, byusing parameters of the communication cost and the communication speed.Of course, the access point can be selected by calculations consideringa plurality of conditions other than the combination of thecommunication cost and the communication speed. Conditions for selectingthe access point may be set by the user through the CE device 132, ormay be set by the connection-setting database server 106.

As described above, when receiving services from the plurality ofservice providing servers 102-1 through 102-n shown in FIG. 2 afterconnecting to the Internet 1, the user is sometimes required to performuser registration in each of the service providing servers 102-1 through102-n. In particular, when the user is charged for receiving services,user registration is almost essential. When receiving services from theplurality of service providing servers 102-1 through 102-n, userregistration must be conducted on all of the service providing servers102-1 through 102-n.

When performing user registration in each of the service providingservers 102-1 through 102-n, as stated above, information, such as theuser name, address, email address, etc., is common information to beregistered in most of the service providing servers 102-1 through 102-n.Information, such as the user address, name, age, gender, and telephoneNo., to be registered in most of the service providing servers 102-1through 102-n is hereinafter referred to as “basic information”. Theuser is required to input the same basic information every time userregistration is conducted in each of the service providing servers 102-1through 102-n.

Then, if the user does not have to input the basic information which hasalready been input when previously performing user registration in oneservice providing server 102 when performing user registration inanother service providing server 102, it becomes very convenient for theuser. In particular, if the input interface of the CE device 132 isdifficult to use, the burden imposed on the user can be considerablydecreased if the amount of information to be input is reduced.

More specifically, it is now assumed that the user must input a, b, c,d, and e (a through e are items of information—the same applies to f andg) required for first conducting user registration in the serviceproviding server 102-1 (a through c are basic information), and that a,b, c, f, g, and h are required for subsequently conducting userregistration in the service providing server 102-2. Conventionally, theuser has to input all the items of information, such as a, b, c, f, g,and h, for performing user registration in the service providing server102-2. That is, the user must input the same information a through cagain, which is troublesome.

Then, when conducting user registration in the service providing server102-2, it is very convenient if the user has to input only f through hwithout the need to input a through c (basic information).

A description is now given, with reference to FIGS. 81 and 82, a systemin which the user does not have to input basic information that hasalready been input for previously conducting user registration in theservice providing server 102 when the user subsequently performs userregistration in another service providing server 102.

In the following description, among items of information required forperforming user registration in the service providing server 102,information (d, e, f through h) other than the above-described basicinformation (a through c) is referred to as service dependentinformation.

In FIG. 81, the centralized service registration server 104 centrallystores and manages basic information. In step S901 of FIG. 81, themanufacturer server 131 sends the device IDs of the CE devices 132shipped from the CE device manufacturer 103 to the centralized serviceregistration server 104. The centralized service registration server 104stores the device IDs received from the manufacturer server 131.

In step S902, the service providing server 102-2 sends items required tobe input for user registration as the service dependent information tothe centralized service registration server 104. The centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores the received items to be input by theuser as the service dependent information. In step S903, the serviceproviding server 102-2 sends the centralized service registration server104 the type of service (information indicating the type of service)provided by the service providing server 102-2 and the specifications(required functions) of the CE devices 132 that can receive theservices. The centralized service registration server 104 stores thereceived type of service and the specification of the CE devices 132that can receive the services.

As in the service providing server 102-2, the service providing servers102-1, 102-3 through 102-n send service dependent information and thespecifications of the CE devices 132 that can receive the servicesprovided by the service providing servers 102-1, 102-3 through 102-n tothe centralized service registration server 104. The centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores the received service dependentinformation and the specifications of the CE devices 132 that canreceive the services.

The centralized service registration server 104 verifies thespecifications of the manufactured CE devices 132 received and storedfrom the manufacturer server 131 in step S901 against the specificationsof the CE devices 132 that can receive the services received and storedfrom the service providing server 102 in step S903 so as to specify theCE devices 132 that can receive the services from the service providingserver 102, and creates a database in which the services and the CEdevices 132 are associated with each other. That is, in this database, alist of the CE devices 132 that can receive each of the servicesprovided by the service providing servers 102-1 through 102-n isrecorded.

In the database, a list of the CE devices 132 that can receive each ofthe services provided by the service providing servers 102-1 through102-n is recorded, as stated above. Alternatively, a list of services tobe received by each CE device 132 may be recorded.

Subsequently, when performing user registration in the service providingserver 102-2, in step S921 of FIG. 82, the CE device 132 sends basicinformation and service dependent information required for conductinguser registration in the service providing server 102-2 to thecentralized service registration server 104. The centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores the received basic information, and alsosends the service dependent information received in step S921 to theservice providing server 102-2 in step S922. The service providingserver 102-2 stores the received service dependent information.

The centralized service registration server 104 issues a registration IDand a password, and sends the registration ID and password to the CEdevice 132 together with a message indicating that registration in theservice providing server 102-2 has been completed in step S923. Uponreceiving the registration ID and password together with a messageindicating that registration in the service providing server 102-2 hasbeen completed, the CE device 132 shows the registration ID and passwordtogether with the message to the user. The user memorizes or writes downthe registration ID and password. The user is then able to receiveservices from the service providing server 102-2.

Subsequently, when the user performs user registration in anotherservice providing server 102-n, the CE device 132 first sends theregistration ID and password to the centralized service registrationserver 104. Then, the centralized service registration server 104 readsthe registered basic information based on the registration ID, and alsoreads the items to be input by the user as the service dependentinformation of the service providing server 102-n, and sends them to theCE device 132. The CE device 132 receives from the user the input ofonly the service dependent information required for performing userregistration in the service providing server 102-n, and in step S924,the CE device 132 sends the input service dependent information to thecentralized service registration server 104. Upon receiving the servicedependent information, in step S925, the centralized serviceregistration server 104 sends the service dependent information to theservice providing server 102-n. The service providing server 102-nstores the received service dependent information.

According to the above-described processing, the user does not have toinput the basic information that has already been input for performinguser registration in the service providing server 102-2 whensubsequently conducting user registration in the service providingserver 102-n.

Screens to be displayed on the display unit of the CE device 132 whenconducting user registration are discussed below with reference to FIGS.83 through 93.

When the user inputs an instruction to receive services into the CEdevice 132, the screen shown in FIG. 83 is displayed on the display unitof the CE device 132. In FIG. 83, at the upper side of the screen, amessage “service check” is indicated, and a connect button 801 is shownunder this message. When selecting the connect button 801 by inputting apredetermined operation, the screen shown in FIG. 84 is displayed on thedisplay unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 84, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Service list CEdevice A? Services that you can receive are as follows.” is indicated,and under this message, “Service A” and a registration button 811, and“Service B” and a registration button 812 are indicated. When the userwishes to perform user registration in service A, the user selects theregistration button 811 by inputting a predetermined operation. Then,the screen shown in FIG. 85 is displayed on the display unit of the CEdevice 132.

In FIG. 85, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Do you haveregistration ID?” is indicated, and under this message, a “YES” button821 and a “NO” button 822 are shown. Since this is the first time toconduct user registration, the user selects the “NO” button 822according to a predetermined operation. Then, the screen shown in FIG.86 is displayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 86, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Input basicinformation” is indicated, and under this message, “Name:” and an inputcolumn 831 for filling the “name”, “Address:” and an input column 832for filling the “address”, and “Email:” and an input column 833 forfilling email address are indicated. A registration button 834 is shownunder these input columns. The user inputs his/her name into the nameinput column 831, the address into the address input column 833, and theemail address into the email-address input column 833 by predeterminedoperations, and selects the registration button 834. Then, the screenshown in FIG. 87 is displayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 87, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Service-Adependent information” is indicated, and under this message, “age:” andan input column 841 for filling the user's age and “hobbies:” and aninput column 842 for filling the user's hobbies are indicated. Aregistration button 843 is shown under these columns. The user inputsthe user's age into the age input column 841, and user's hobbies intothe hobby input column 842, and selects the registration button 843according to predetermined operations. Then, the screen shown in FIG. 88is displayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 88, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Registration hascompleted!” is indicated, and under this message, “Your ID/PW is ID:xxxxxx PW:xxxxxxxx” is indicated (in reality, the registration ID isindicated in “xxxxxx” of “ID:xxxxxx”, and the password is indicated in“xxxxxxxx” and “PW:xxxxxxxx”). User registration for service A has beencompleted as described above. Since the centralized service registrationserver 104 manages the users, CE devices, and services so that they canbe associated with each other, the user is able to display a list of theCE devices registered by the user by inputting predetermined operationson the CE device. That is, in response to the user's operation, the CEdevice requests the centralized service registration server 104 to senda list of the CE devices associated with the user. The centralizedservice registration server 104 searches for the CE devices associatedwith the user, and sends a list of the CE devices to the CE device. TheCE device indicates the list of the CE devices supplied from centralizedservice registration server 104 to the user. The user is then able toview the list of the registered CE devices.

When conducting user registration in service B, in response to aninstruction to register in the service from the user, the screen shownin FIG. 89 is displayed on the display unit of the CE device.

In FIG. 89, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Service list” isindicated, and under this message, “CE device A? Services you canreceive are as follows.” is indicated. Under this message, “Service ARegistered” and “Service B” and a register button 812 are shown. Theuser selects the register button 812 according to a predeterminedoperation, and then, the screen shown in FIG. 90 is displayed on thedisplay unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 90, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Please inputregistration ID.” is indicated, and under this message, “ID:” and aregistration-ID input column 851 and “PW:” and a password input column842 are indicated. An OK button 853 is shown under these columns. Theuser inputs the registration ID indicated on the display unit in FIG. 88into the registration-ID input column 851, and inputs the passwordindicated on the display in FIG. 88 into the password input column 852according to predetermined operations, and then, selects theregistration button 853. Then, the screen shown in FIG. 91 is displayedon the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 91, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Basicinformation check” is indicated, and under this message, “Name: xxxxxxxxxx” is indicated (in reality, the user name is indicated in “xxxxxxxxxx”). Then, “Address: xxxxxxxxxxxx” (in reality, the user address isindicated in “xxxxxxxxxxxx”) and “email: xxxx@xxxxxxxx” (in reality,user email address is indicated in “xxxx@xxxxxxxx”) are indicated. Acheck button 861 is shown under this information. After checking thebasic information, the user selects the check button 861 according to apredetermined operation, and then, the screen shown in FIG. 92 isdisplayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 92, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Service-Bdependent information” is indicated, and under this message, “Creditnumber:” and an input column 871 for a credit number are indicated. Aregistration button 872 is shown under this input column. Afterinputting the credit number into the credit-number input column 871according to a predetermined operation, the user selects theregistration button 872, and then, the screen shown in FIG. 93 isdisplayed on the display unit of the CE device 132.

In FIG. 93, at the upper side of the screen, a message “Registration iscompleted!” is indicated. Accordingly, registration in service B hasbeen completed.

As described above, it is not necessary to input the basic informationthat has already been registered for performing user registration in aservice providing server 102 when subsequently conducting userregistration in another service providing server 102, thereby giving asystematic impression to the user and enhancing the ease of operation.

In the above description, the password to be input into the passwordinput column 851 of the screen in FIG. 90 by the user is the passwordindicated on the display unit in FIG. 88. However, after completing userregistration in service A by the registration completion screen shown inFIG. 88, the user is able to change the password by predeterminedprocedures. In this case, the password input into the password inputcolumn 851 by the user in the screen of FIG. 90 is the new password. Forexample, if the user wishes to change the password after completing userregistration in service A, the user accesses the centralized serviceregistration server 104 from the CE device 132 or a personal computerowned by the user, and inputs the registration ID and password shown inFIG. 88, and a desired password, thereby making it possible to changethe password. The password can be changed not only after conducting userregistration for the first time, but also whenever the user desires (forexample, after performing registration in service B).

Pre-registration in the centralized service registration server 104 isdescribed below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 94.

In step S951, the communication control program 422 of the serviceproviding server 102 sends the centralized service registration server104 the specifications of the CE device 132 that can receive servicesfrom the service providing server 102. For example, if the serviceproviding server 102 provides distribution services for music content,the service providing server 102 sends “having a speaker for playingback music” as the specifications of the CE device 132.

In step S941, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe specifications that can utilize the service providing server 102from the service providing server 102.

The centralized service registration server 104 has received the dataconcerning the specifications of the manufactured CE devices 132 fromthe manufacturer server 131, and stored it. Then, in step S942, the datasearch program 505 of the centralized service registration server 104selects all the CE devices 132 that can use the services provided by theservice providing server 102 by referring to the stored data concerningthe specifications of the CE devices 132. That is, if the specificationsof the CE devices 132 received in step S941 indicate “having a speakerfor playing back music”, the data search program 505 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 picks up all the CE devices 132 providedwith speakers for playing back music by referring to the stored dataconcerning the specifications of the CE devices 132.

Then, in step S952, the communication control program 422 of the serviceproviding server 102 sends items of information required for conductinguser registration in the service providing server 102 to the centralizedservice registration server 104. For example, the communication controlprogram 422 of the service providing server 102 sends items, such as“favorite music fields” and “the number of CDs owned”, to thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S943, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesitems of information required for conducting user registration in theservice providing server 102 from the service providing server 102.

In step S944, the storage control program 504 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores items of information required forconducting user registration in the service providing server 102.

Pre-registration processing has been completed as described above.

Registration processing for a device ID is described below withreference to the flowchart of FIG. 95.

In step S971, the communication control program 302 of the manufacturerserver 131 sends the specifications of the CE device 132 to bemanufactured to the centralized service registration server 104. If theCE device 132 to be manufactured has a display unit and a speaker, thedisplay unit and the speaker are sent as the specifications of the CEdevice 132.

In step S961, the centralized service, registration server 104 receivesthe specifications of the CE device 132 to be manufactured from themanufacturer server 131.

In step S962, the storage control program 504 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores the specifications of the CE device 132received in step S961 in the storage unit.

In step S972, the communication control program 302 of the manufacturerserver 131 sends the device ID of the manufactured CE device 132 to thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S963, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe device ID of the manufactured CE device 132 from the manufacturerserver 131.

In step S964, the storage control program 504 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 stores the device ID of the CE device 132received in step S963 in the storage unit.

Registration processing for a device ID has been completed as describedabove.

A description is now given, with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 96through 103, of service registration processing in the service providingserver 102 by taking the car navigation system 112 as an example of theCE device 132.

In step S1001 of FIG. 96, based on an instruction to performregistration in services by the user, the browser 543 of the carnavigation system 112 requests the centralized service registrationserver 104 to send a list of services that can be registered.

In step S1051 of FIG. 99, the centralized service registration server104 receives a request to send a list of services that can be registeredfrom the car navigation system 112.

In step S1052, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112to send the device ID.

In step S1002, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendthe device ID from the centralized service registration server 104.

In step S1003, the communication control program 542 of the carnavigation system 112 sends the device ID to the centralized serviceregistration server 104.

In step S1053, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe device ID from the car navigation system 112.

In step S1054, the data search program 505 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 searches the storage unit to determine whetherthe device ID received in step S1053 is associated with the registrationID.

If the data search program 505 of the centralized service registrationserver 104 determines in step S1055 that the device ID is not registeredin the storage unit in association with the registration ID, the processproceeds to step S1056.

In step S1056, the data search program 505 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 reads the specifications of the CE device 132(that is, the car navigation system 112) corresponding to the device IDreceived in step S1053, and selects the service providing server 102from which the car navigation system 112 can receive services based onthe specifications.

In step S1057, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends a list of services that can beregistered to the car navigation system 112.

In step S1004, the car navigation system 112 receives a list of servicesthat can be registered from the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1005, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a list of services that can be registered receivedin step S1004 on the display unit 271, as shown in FIG. 84; and theoperation-input control program 546 receives the selection of a serviceto be registered from the user.

In step S1006, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends arequest to register the service received in step S1005 to thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S1058, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa request to register the service from the car navigation system 112.

After the processing of step S1058, in step S1059 of FIG. 100, thecommunication control program 502 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112 to checkfor the registration ID.

In step S1007, the car navigation system 112 determines whether it isrequested to check for both the registration ID and password from thecentralized service registration server 104. However, it is notrequested to check for both the registration ID and password, and thus,in step S1008, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to checkfor the registration ID from the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1009, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 85, on thedisplay unit 271, and instructs the user to check for the registrationID.

After receiving the input from the user that the user does not have aregistration ID (the “NO” button 822 in FIG. 85 is selected), theprocess proceeds to step S1010 of FIG. 97. In step S1010, the browser543 of the car navigation system 112 sends a message indicating that ithas been checked for the registration ID to the centralized serviceregistration server 104.

In step S1060, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa message indicating that the user does not have a registration ID fromthe car navigation system 112.

In step S1061, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112to send basic information.

In step S1011, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendbasic information from the centralized service registration server 104.

In step S1012, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 86, on thedisplay unit 271, and the operation-input control program 546 receivesthe input of basic information from the user.

Then, in step S1013, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112sends the basic information received in step S1012 to the centralizedservice registration server 104.

In step S1062, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe basic information from the car navigation system 112, and thestorage control program 504 of the centralized service registrationserver 104 stores the received basic information.

In step S1063, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112to send service dependent information.

In step S1014, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendservice dependent information from the centralized service registrationserver 104.

In step S1015, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 87, on thedisplay unit 271. The operation-input control program 546 receives theinput of service dependent information from the user.

Then, in step S1016, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112sends the service dependent information received in step S1015 to thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S1064, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe service dependent information from the car navigation system 112.

In step S1065, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends the service dependent informationreceived in step S1064 to the service providing server 102, and sends amessage indicating that the user is to perform registration.

In step S1091 of FIG. 103, the service providing server 102 receives theservice dependent information and a message indicating that the user isto conduct registration from the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1092, the storage control program 425 of the service providingserver 102 stores the service dependent information received in stepS1091. Then, in step S1093, the communication control program 422 of theservice providing server 102 sends a message indicating thatregistration has been completed to the centralized service registrationserver 104.

In step S1066, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa message indicating that registration has been completed from theservice providing server 102.

In step S1067, the registration-ID/password generating program 507 ofthe centralized service registration server 104 generates a registrationID and a password. The storage control program 504 stores the generatedregistration ID and password so that they can be associated with thedevice ID received in step S1053.

In step S1068, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends a message indicating thatregistration has been completed, and also sends the registration ID andpassword generated in step S1067 to the car navigation system 112.

In step S1017, the car navigation system 112 receives a messageindicating that registration has been completed, and also receives theregistration ID and password from the centralized service registrationserver 104.

In step S1018, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a message indicating the completion of registration,the registration ID, and the password on the display unit 271, as shownin FIG. 88. The user sees this display to memorize or write down theregistration ID and password.

If the data search program 505 of the centralized service registrationserver 104 determines in step S1055 that the registration IDcorresponding to the device ID has been registered, the process proceedsto step S1069 of FIG. 101.

In step S1069, the data search program 505 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 reads the specifications of the CE device 132(i.e., the car navigation system 112) corresponding to the device IDreceived in step S1053, and selects the service providing server 102from which the car navigation system 112 can receive services based onthe specifications.

In step S1070, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends a list of services that can beregistered to the car navigation system 112.

In step S1004, the car navigation system 112 receives a list of servicesthat can be registered from the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1005, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a list of services that can be registered receivedin step S1004 on the display unit 271, as shown in FIG. 89, and theoperation-input control program 546 receives the selection of a serviceto be registered from the user. If the car navigation system 112 hasalready been registered in service A, “Service A Registered” isindicated, as shown in FIG. 89.

After selecting the registration button 812 by the user in FIG. 89, theprocess proceeds to step S1006. In step S1006, the browser 543 of thecar navigation system 112 sends a request to register the serviceselected in step S1005 to the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1071, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa request to register the service from the car navigation system 112.

In step S1072, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112to send the registration ID and password.

Then, in step S1007, the car navigation system 112 is requested to sendboth the registration ID and password from the centralized serviceregistration server 104, and the process proceeds to step S1019 of FIG.98. In step S1019, the car navigation system 112 determines that it isrequested to send both the registration ID and password from thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S1020, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 90, on thedisplay unit 271. The operation-input control program 546 receives theinput of the registration ID and password from the user. Then, in stepS1021, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112 sends theregistration ID and password received in step S1020 to the centralizedservice registration server 104.

In step S1073, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe registration ID and password from the car navigation system 112. Instep S1074, the authentication program 508 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 determines whether the registration ID andpassword coincide with those stored in association with the device ID instep S1067 when previously registering the car navigation system 112 inthe service based on the device ID received in step S1053 and theregistration ID and password received in step S1073. If it is determinedthat the registration ID and password are the same as those stored inassociation with the device ID in step S1067 when previously registeringthe car navigation system 112 in the service, the authentication program508 authenticates the user, and the process proceeds to step S1075. Instep S1075, the data search program 505 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 reads the basic information of the user storedin association with the device ID.

After the processing of step S1075, in step S1076 of FIG. 102, thecommunication control program 502 of the centralized serviceregistration server 104 sends the basic information read in step S1075to the car navigation system 112, and also requests the car navigationsystem 112 to check whether the basic information is correct.

In step S1022, the car navigation system 112 receives the basicinformation from the centralized service registration server 104, andalso receives a request to check whether the basic information iscorrect.

In step S1023, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays the basic information received in step S1022 on thedisplay unit 271, as shown in FIG. 91, and also displays a message(i.e., the check button 861) instructing the user to check whether thebasic information is correct.

When the check button 861 is selected by the user, the process proceedsto step S1024. In step S1024, the browser 543 of the car navigationsystem 112 sends a message indicating that the basic information hasbeen checked to the centralized service registration server 104.

In step S1077, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa message indicating that the basic information has been checked fromthe car navigation system 112.

In step S1078, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 requests the car navigation system 112to send service dependent information of service B.

In step S1025, the car navigation system 112 receives a request to sendthe service dependent information of service B from the centralizedservice registration server 104.

In step S1026, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a screen, such as that shown in FIG. 92, on thedisplay unit 271. The operation-input control program 546 then receivesthe input of the service dependent information from the user.

Then, in step S1027, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112sends the service dependent information received in step S1026 to thecentralized service registration server 104.

In step S1079, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesthe service dependent information from the car navigation system 112.

In step S1080, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends the service dependent informationreceived in step S1079 to the service providing server 102, and alsosends a message indicating that the user is to conduct registration.

In step S1091, the service providing server 102 receives the servicedependent information and a message indicating that the user is toperform registration from the centralized service registration server104.

In step S1092, the storage control program 425 of the service providingserver 102 stores the service dependent information received in stepS1091. Then, in step S1093, the communication control program 422 of theservice providing server 102 sends a message indicating thatregistration has been completed to the centralized service registrationserver 104.

In step S1081, the centralized service registration server 104 receivesa message indicating that registration has been completed from theservice providing server 102.

In step S1082, the communication control program 502 of the centralizedservice registration server 104 sends a message indicating thatregistration has been completed to the car navigation system 112.

In step S1028, the car navigation system 112 receives a messageindicating that registration has been completed from the centralizedservice registration server 104.

In step S1029, the display control program 544 of the car navigationsystem 112 displays a registration completion message on the displayunit 271, as shown in FIG. 93. The user sees this display andunderstands that registration has been completed.

According to the above-described processing, when performingregistration in the plurality of service providing servers 102, the userhas to input basic information only once when performing firstregistration in the service providing server 102.

Items of information to be input by the user as the basic information oras the service dependent information are not restricted to theabove-described items. For example, in the screen in FIG. 86, items,such as the telephone No. and postal code, may be added to the itemssuch as the name, address, and email address. Conversely, the item to beinput, i.e., the address, may be deleted from the screen in FIG. 86. InFIG. 87, as the items to be input as the service dependent information,items, such as the occupation and family members, may be added to theage and hobbies. The item, i.e., hobbies, may be deleted from the screenin FIG. 87. That is, items to be input as the basic information or theservice dependent information can be set as desired by the administratorof this service.

In particular, when the CE device 132 is connected to a networkincluding the Internet 1 by using connection information recorded in thememory card 114 inserted into the CE device 132, the user is able toutilize the connection information for a plurality of devices. Whenconnecting a device to the Internet, the amount of information to beinput by the user can be reduced. Additionally, the size of the inputinterface of the device can be reduced.

The above-described processing performed by the browser 323 of thesetting terminal device 109 or 121, the browser 523 of the refrigerator113, the browser 543 of the car navigation system 112, and the browsersof the other CE devices 132 may be executed by dedicated applicationsoftware. For example, dedicated application software for executingprocessing corresponding to the processing performed by the browser 323may be installed into the setting terminal device 109, and processingsimilar to the processing performed by the browser 323 may be executedby the dedicated application software. Similarly, dedicated applicationsoftware for executing processing similar to the processing performed bythe browsers of the CE devices 132 may be installed into the CE devices132 including the refrigerator 113 and the car navigation system 112,and processing similar to the processing performed by the browsers maybe executed by the dedicated application software.

Among the CE devices 132 (including the microwave oven 110, televisionreceiver 111, car navigation system 112, and refrigerator 113), theservice providing server 102, the centralized service registrationserver 104, the CE-device registration setting server 105, theconnection-setting database 106, the setting terminal devices 109 and121, the manufacturer server 131, the access server 141, theregistration server 142, the connection authentication server 143, thedatabase server 144, the service providing server 145, and the webauthentication proxy server 146, two or more predetermined devices sendand receive information. Such information may be encrypted bypredetermined means. Thus, information can be sent and received moresecurely.

In this specification, steps of programs to be stored in program storagemedia including the ROMs 202, 232, and 262 and RAMs 203, 233, and 263may be executed in chronological order described above. Alternatively,the steps may be executed concurrently or individually.

In this specification, the system means the overall apparatus consistingof a plurality of devices.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As is seen from the foregoing description, according to the presentinvention, the user is able to utilize services provided on theInternet.

According to the present invention, the user is able to utilizeconnection information for a plurality of devices once the connectioninformation is generated. When connecting a device to the Internet, theamount of information to be input by the user can be decreased.Additionally, the size of the input interface of the device can bereduced.

1. An information processing system comprising: a first informationprocessing apparatus for generating connection information forconnecting to a network; a second information processing apparatus forrecording the connection information generated by the first informationprocessing apparatus in a predetermined recording medium; and a thirdinformation processing apparatus that connects to the network based onthe connection information recorded in the recording medium by thesecond information processing apparatus, the first informationprocessing apparatus comprising: a processor; a first receiving unitconfigured to receive registration information from the secondinformation processing apparatus; a generating unit configured togenerate the connection information used for allowing the thirdinformation processing apparatus to connect to the network based on adevice identifier of the third information processing apparatus and theregistration information received by the first receiving unit, whereinthe registration information includes a registration code calculatedfrom the device identifier of the third information processingapparatus; and a first transmitting unit configured to transmit theconnection information generated by the generating unit to the secondinformation processing apparatus, the second information processingapparatus comprising: a reception unit configured to receive input ofthe registration information; a second transmitting unit configured totransmit the registration information received by the reception unit tothe first information processing apparatus; a second receiving unitconfigured to receive the connection information from the firstinformation processing apparatus; and a recording unit configured torecord the connection information received by the second receiving unitin the recording medium, the third information processing apparatuscomprising: a reading unit configured to read the connection informationrecorded by the second information processing apparatus from therecording medium; and a connection unit configured to connect to thenetwork based on the connection information read by the reading unit. 2.The information processing system of claim 1 wherein a devicemanufacturer calculates the registration code from the deviceidentifier.
 3. The information processing system of claim 2 wherein theregistration code is recorded in or on the third information processingapparatus by the device manufacturer.
 4. A first information processingapparatus comprising: a processor; a receiving unit configured toreceive registration information from a first second informationprocessing apparatus; a generating unit configured to generateconnection information used for allowing a third information processingapparatus, which is different from the second information processingapparatus, to connect to a network based on a device identifier of thethird information processing apparatus and the registration informationreceived by the receiving unit, wherein the registration informationincludes a registration code calculated from the device identifier ofthe third information processing apparatus; and a transmitting unitconfigured to transmit the connection information generated by thegenerating unit to the second information processing apparatus.
 5. Afirst information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein thenetwork is the Internet.
 6. A first information processing apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein the registration information includes apostal code or an address at which the third information processingapparatus is connected to the network.
 7. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 6, wherein the generating unit selects anaccess point for allowing the third information processing apparatus toconnect to the network based on the postal code or the address so as togenerate the connection information including information concerning theaccess point.
 8. A first information processing apparatus according toclaim 7, wherein the information concerning the access point includes atelephone number of the access point.
 9. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 7, wherein the generating unit selects theaccess point based on at least one of the conditions consisting of acommunication cost, a communication speed, and a load of the accesspoint when the third information processing apparatus is connected tothe network.
 10. A first information processing apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein the connection information includes an identifierrequired for the third information processing apparatus to receiveauthentication.
 11. A first information processing apparatus accordingto claim 10, wherein the identifier includes at least one of anidentifier for logging in to an Internet service provider, an identifierfor specifying a user, the device identifier of the third informationprocessing apparatus, and an identifier for specifying a service on thenetwork.
 12. A first information processing apparatus according to claim10, wherein the connection information further includes a passwordrequired for the third information processing apparatus to receive theauthentication.
 13. A first information processing apparatus accordingto claim 4, wherein the transmitting unit transmits, together with theconnection information, a program for executing processing for allowingthe third information processing apparatus to connect to the network tothe second information processing apparatus.
 14. An informationprocessing method comprising: receiving, by a first informationprocessing apparatus, registration information from a second informationprocessing apparatus; generating, by the first information processingapparatus, connection information used for allowing a third informationprocessing apparatus, which is different from the second informationprocessing apparatus, to connect to a network based on a deviceidentifier of the third information processing apparatus and theregistration information received by processing of the receiving step,wherein the registration information includes a registration codecalculated from the device identifier of the third informationprocessing apparatus; and transmitting, by the first informationprocessing apparatus, the connection information to the secondinformation processing apparatus.
 15. A recording medium recording acomputer-readable program for causing a computer to execute aninformation processing method, the method comprising: receiving, by afirst information processing apparatus, registration information from asecond information processing apparatus; generating, by the firstinformation processing apparatus, connection information used forallowing a third information processing apparatus, which is differentfrom the second information processing apparatus, to connect to anetwork based on a device identifier of the third information processingapparatus and the registration information received by processing of thereceiving step, wherein the registration information includes aregistration code calculated from the device identifier of the thirdinformation processing apparatus; and transmitting, by the firstinformation processing apparatus, the connection information to thesecond information processing apparatus.
 16. A first informationprocessing apparatus comprising: a processor; a reception unitconfigured to receive an input of registration information from a user;a transmitting unit configured to transmit the registration informationreceived by the reception unit to a second information processingapparatus; a receiving unit configured to receive connection informationfor connecting to a network from the second information processingapparatus, the connection information being generated based on a deviceidentifier of a third information processing apparatus connecting to thenetwork and the registration information transmitted by the transmittingunit, wherein the registration information includes a registration codecalculated from the device identifier of the third informationprocessing apparatus connecting to the network based on the connectioninformation; and a recording unit configured to record the connectioninformation received by the receiving unit in a recording medium.
 17. Afirst information processing apparatus according to claim 16, whereinthe network is the Internet.
 18. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 16, wherein the recording medium is amemory card which is attached to the first information processingapparatus, and is also removed from the first information processingapparatus and is attached to the third information processing apparatus,which is different from the first information processing apparatus. 19.A first information processing apparatus according to claim 16, whereinthe connection information is information that allows a plurality ofthird information processing apparatuses, which are different from thefirst information processing apparatus, to connect to the Internet byutilizing the connection information.
 20. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 16, wherein the registration informationincludes at least a postal code or an address at which the thirdinformation processing apparatus, which is different from the firstinformation processing apparatus, is connected to the network.
 21. Afirst information processing apparatus according to claim 16, whereinthe connection information includes information concerning an accesspoint for allowing the third information processing apparatus, which isdifferent from the first information processing apparatus, to connect tothe network.
 22. A first information processing apparatus according toclaim 21, wherein the information concerning the access point includes atelephone number of the access point.
 23. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 16, wherein the connection informationincludes an identifier required for a third information processingapparatus, which is different from the first information processingapparatus, to receive authentication.
 24. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 23, wherein the identifier includes atleast one of an identifier for logging in to an Internet serviceprovider, an identifier for specifying a user, an identifier forspecifying the third information processing apparatus, the identifier ofthe connecting device, and an identifier for specifying a service on thenetwork.
 25. A first information processing apparatus according to claim23, wherein the connection information further includes a passwordrequired for the third information processing apparatus to receive theauthentication.
 26. A first information processing apparatus accordingto claim 16, wherein: the receiving unit receives, together with theconnection information, a program for executing processing for allowingthe third information processing apparatus, which is different from thefirst information processing apparatus, to connect to the network; andthe recording unit records the connection information and the programreceived by the receiving unit in the recording medium.
 27. Aninformation processing method comprising: receiving, by a firstinformation processing apparatus, registration information from a user;transmitting, by the first information processing apparatus, theregistration information to a second information processing apparatus;receiving, by the first information processing apparatus, connectioninformation for connecting to a network from the second informationprocessing apparatus, the connection information being generated basedon a device identifier of a third information processing apparatusconnecting to the network and the registration information, wherein theregistration information includes a registration code calculated fromthe device identifier of the third information processing apparatusconnecting to the network based on the connection information; andrecording, by the first information processing apparatus, the receivedconnection information in a recording medium.
 28. A recording mediumrecording a computer-readable program for causing a computer to executean information processing method, the method comprising: receiving, by afirst information processing apparatus, registration information from auser; transmitting, by the first information processing apparatus, theregistration information to a second information processing apparatus;receiving, by the first information processing apparatus, connectioninformation for connecting to a network from the second informationprocessing apparatus, the connection information being generated basedon a device identifier of a third information processing apparatusconnecting to the network and the registration information, wherein theregistration information includes a registration code calculated fromthe device identifier of the third information processing apparatusconnecting to the network based on the connection information; andrecording, by the first information processing apparatus, the receivedconnection information in a recording medium.
 29. A first informationprocessing apparatus comprising: a processor; a holding unit configuredto detachably hold a recording medium; a reading unit configured to readconnection information, associated with a device identifier paired witha registration code calculated from the device identifier, andconfigured to connect to a network from the recording medium when therecording medium is held in the holding unit, the connection informationbeing from a second information processing apparatus transferred to therecording medium while the recording medium is attached to the secondinformation processing apparatus; and a connection unit configured toconnect to the network based on the connection information, wherein theconnection information is generated based on registration information,the device identifier identifies the first information processingapparatus, the registration calculation is performed by a thirdinformation processing apparatus that is different from the secondinformation processing apparatus, and the registration informationincludes the registration code calculated from the device identifier.30. A first information processing apparatus according to claim 29,wherein the network is the Internet.
 31. A first information processingapparatus according to claim 29, wherein the recording medium is amemory card.
 32. A first information processing apparatus according toclaim 29, wherein the connection information is information that allowsa plurality of information processing apparatuses to connect to theInternet by using the connection information.
 33. A first informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the connectioninformation includes information concerning an access point for allowingthe first information processing apparatus to connect to the network.34. A first information processing apparatus according to claim 33,wherein the information concerning the access point includes a telephonenumber of the access point.
 35. A first information processing apparatusaccording to claim 29, wherein the connection information includes anidentifier required for the first information processing apparatus toreceive authentication.
 36. A first information processing apparatusaccording to claim 35, wherein the identifier includes at least one ofan identifier for logging in to an Internet service provider, anidentifier for specifying a user, an identifier for specifying the firstinformation processing apparatus, and an identifier for specifying aservice on the network.
 37. A first information processing apparatusaccording to claim 35, wherein the connection information furtherincludes a password required for the first information processingapparatus to receive the authentication.
 38. A first informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein: the reading unitreads a program for executing processing for allowing the firstinformation processing apparatus to connect to the network, the programbeing stored in the recording medium together with the connectioninformation; and the connection unit connects to the network by usingthe connection information by executing the program read by the readingunit.
 39. A first information processing apparatus according to claim29, further comprising a recording unit configured to record theconnection information read by the reading unit, wherein the connectionunit connects to the network based on the connection informationrecorded by the recording unit.
 40. An information processing method fora first information processing apparatus to and from which a recordingmedium is attachable and detachable, the information processing methodcomprising: reading connection information, associated with a deviceidentifier paired with a registration code calculated from the deviceidentifier, and configured to connect to a network from the recordingmedium when the recording medium is held in the holding unit, theconnection information being from a second information processingapparatus transferred to the recording medium while the recording mediumis attached to the second information processing apparatus; andconnecting to the network based on the connection information, whereinthe connection information is generated based on registrationinformation, the device identifier identifies the first informationprocessing apparatus, the registration calculation is performed by athird information processing apparatus that is different from the secondinformation processing apparatus, and the registration informationincludes the registration code calculated from the device identifier.41. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program forcontrolling a first information processing apparatus to and from which arecording medium is attachable and detachable, for causing a computer toexecute an information processing method, the method comprising: readingconnection information, associated with a device identifier paired witha registration code calculated from the device identifier, andconfigured to connect to a network from the recording medium when therecording medium is held in the holding unit, the connection informationbeing from a second information processing apparatus transferred to therecording medium while the recording medium is attached to the secondinformation processing apparatus; and connecting to the network based onthe connection information, wherein the connection information isgenerated based on registration information, the device identifieridentifies the first information processing apparatus, the registrationcalculation is performed by a third information processing apparatusthat is different from the second information processing apparatus, andthe registration information includes the registration code calculatedfrom the device identifier.